Surinder Singh Bajwa, the deputy mayor of New Delhi, India, died after being attacked by a troop of rhesus macaques at his home in 2007. The politician was on the first-floor terrace when the monkeys besieged him; he lost his footing and fell, sustaining severe head injuries. He was taken to Apollo Hospital in a critical condition and was declared dead the following day.
Delhi is overrun with thousands of rhesus macaques, which regularly invade homes, temples and rooftops, posing a constant danger to residents. Following Bajwa's death, demands for action increased, with proposals including relocation schemes and more robust wildlife control measures.
Government minister Dr Harsh Vardhan paid tribute, describing Bajwa as 'one of the most honest, sincere and dedicated workers of the party'. He said his untimely demise was an 'irreparable loss to Delhi'.
The monkey menace was particularly severe near Bajwa's residence, which was located close to a temple dedicated to Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god. Hundreds of macaques gathered there daily, attracted by food offered by tourists and devotees. Before the incident, a formidable monkey named Rambo had been employed to guard government ministries but was eventually driven away after repeated attacks by rival troops.
In the aftermath, Delhi mayor Arti Mehra reported that 1,250 monkeys had been captured since May of that year, with plans to increase monkey-catching teams and advertise for experienced catchers from other states. The courts also grappled with how to control the burgeoning macaque population, with some advocating humane capture and others demanding stricter measures.
