In an unconventional and visually striking move, a newly elected village head in Telangana has taken a unique approach to a persistent problem: he has started dressing up as a bear to scare away monkeys. The incident, captured in a now-viral video, underscores the severity of the simian menace plaguing rural parts of the state and the desperate measures residents are adopting.
From Poll Promise to Unusual Action
Kummari Ranjith, the sarpanch of Lingapur village in Kadam mandal of Nirmal district, decided to fulfill his election promise in a most creative way. After traditional methods failed, Ranjith, backed by the BRS, turned to an idea he found online. He procured a bear costume and began patrolling his village, jumping and moving around to mimic the predator of monkeys.
"I chose this method because I had promised to tackle the monkey menace if elected," Ranjith stated. He reported initial success, noting that several monkeys fled upon seeing his unusual getup. The issue of marauding monkeys had been a major concern during the recent local elections, with candidates vying to offer solutions to the frustrated villagers.
The Failure of Conventional Methods
Ranjith's bear costume strategy was not his first attempt. The community had previously pooled resources, contributing ₹50 per household to install cages to trap the animals. However, this method proved largely ineffective. "We managed to catch only a few," Ranjith explained, highlighting the inadequacy of such measures against a widespread problem.
The village of Lingapur has been grappling with severe monkey attacks for the past two to three years. The consequences have been tangible and damaging: significant crop loss and physical injuries to residents. Ranjith emphasized that his costume provides only "interim relief" and stressed that a permanent solution must come from the state government.
A Statewide Problem Seeking a Permanent Fix
The challenge is not confined to Lingapur. Across Telangana, numerous villages are experimenting with various deterrents. With support from gram panchayats, communities have tried:
- Hiring professional animal catchers.
- Installing more cages and traps.
- Bringing in langurs, natural adversaries of monkeys.
Lavudya Joga Nayak from Govindaraopet in Mulugu district, another area facing the menace, echoed Ranjith's sentiment. "At the village level, we are trying different methods... But what we really need is a permanent solution, and that can only come from the government," Nayak said. This collective call from village leaders points to a growing demand for a structured, state-level policy to manage human-wildlife conflict in agricultural and residential zones.
The viral video of Sarpanch Kummari Ranjith in his bear costume is more than just an amusing clip; it is a stark, visual petition for help. It creatively highlights the daily struggles of rural Indians against wildlife intrusion and the innovative, yet stopgap, measures they are forced to employ in the absence of systemic support.
