Langurs take on monkeys at Agra

Railway authorities have hired langurs to shoo away monkeys at the four railway stations in the Taj Mahal city.

Officials said the simian nuisance on platforms, electric lines and transmission system was causing concern.

"All efforts to get rid of the monkeys have failed. So, it was decided to issue a tender to hire langurs," railway spokesman Bhupinder Dhillon told IANS.

Animal rights activists are not pleased.

Naresh Kadyan, president of the Animal Welfare Party, told IANS: "The langurs cannot be held in captivity. The wildlife laws are very clear on this. The railways will regret their decision."

Kadyan said that in November the Mathura district administration hired langurs ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Vrindavan.

"When we threatened action under the wild life laws, the langurs were immediately sent back (to the forest)," he said.