A monkey stole several critical pieces of evidence before the case reached court, forcing an Indian murder prosecution to be delayed on Wednesday under odd circumstances.
According to local reports, the monkey snared a packet containing 15 pieces of evidence, including a knife used in the suspected murder.
A Rhesus macaque, part of the 11 rescued monkeys from research laboratories, looks on from the quarantine room of the future animal shelter 'La Taniere', in Nogent-le-Phaye near Chartres, on March 13, 2019. - The refuge, which will open to the public in 2020, cares for retired or mistreated animals from circus, people or illegal farms.
Monkey Steals Several Pieces of Murder-Related Evidence
During a pre-trial hearing, India's Jaipur police disclosed to the court that a monkey had grabbed the evidence when it was being transferred since the murder in 2016.
Mirror said the Indian police confessed the bizarre incident in a written note to the court after authorities forced them to present the evidence that will be used in the case.
Furthermore, authorities stated the officer in charge of preserving the evidence. At the same time, it was being transported to Malkhana for safekeeping was suspended, subsequently retired, and then died.
The incident involves a certain Shashikant Sharma, who was murdered. His body was recovered near the Chandwaji police station in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
His corpse was discovered three days after his family reported him missing. They protested by blocking a major route in the area once it was discovered.
Five days later, under community pressure, police detained two men from Chandwaji, Rahul and Mohanlal Kandera. They were accused of murder.
Officers collected and stored the key evidence in the case. They stored the necessary items in an evidence package, ready to be presented in court when the case went to trial, including a knife thought to have been used by the suspects to murder Sharma.
Here's How The Monkey Stole The Items
NDTV said the evidence was temporarily stored under a tree by the policeman owing to a shortage of room in the Malkhana audit facility.
The monkey then took the 15 pieces of evidence and ran, according to the police in their written answer to the court. It has yet to be found.
The cop in charge of protecting the package has been suspended, according to police. As a result, he left the police department and died shortly after.
The public prosecutor is said to have been enraged by the police's ineptness, implying that their justification is rare. The court conveyed their dissatisfaction as well.
A letter was submitted to the Jaipur Rural Police Superintendent, requesting clarification on the events and how a monkey stole the evidence.
Other Cheeky Monkey Stealing Cases
It's not the first time a monkey has taken something valuable from a person. On the grounds of an Indian medical school, a monkey assaulted a lab technician and fled with blood samples from three COVID-19-infected patients.
Meanwhile, the robbed lab worker recorded the incident on his phone. The monkey climbed up a nearby tree after taking the samples and other medical things, according to the footage. The video, which was shared on social media, also shows the animal munching on what seem to be surgical gloves, according to NDTV.
The cheeky incident occurred last year at the government-run Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, a northern Indian state.
According to local reports, the monkey took blood samples rather than throat or tongue swabs from affected people as part of regular therapy.
The medical college has requested the technician to explain in writing how he was overwhelmed by a monkey and why he responded to the crime by photographing the thief rather than immediately reporting hospital officials.
Why Do Cheeky Monkeys Steal?
Long-tailed macaques in Bali, Indonesia, steal items from unsuspecting tourists in exchange for food. The monkeys were also wise enough to determine which items had the highest value, like smartphones.
According to a study from the University of Lethbridge, Canada, and Udayana University, Indonesia, the monkeys used the stolen objects to request specific food rewards. Their ability to barter also increased with age and experience, CNN reported.
The scientists were able to film monkeys observing the tourists, then approaching and robbing an object. They then stepped aside for a suitable offering to return what they had stolen.
The act is considered an economic decision-making process, which was learned and socially influenced.
However, in some instances, monkeys just steal and run away, such as the case in India when they monkey stole the pieces of evidence for a murder trial. According to Anne Fletcher-Jones, retired zoo registrar/animal records keeper at The Living Desert, monkeys do not have the concept of "property." So, when they see something interesting that captures their attention or when they like or want an item, they will just take it. Since they move so fast, they tend to get away with it.
RELATED ARTICLE: Monkeys Found to Consume Alcohol; Hints Human Passion for Booze
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