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New Delhi Deputy Mayor Dies After Monkey Encounter Triggers Fatal Fall

City leaders pledge expanded macaque captures following renewed public pressure.

Overview

  • Deputy mayor Surinder Singh Bajwa fell from his first-floor terrace during a confrontation with rhesus macaques, was taken to Apollo Hospital with severe head injuries, and was declared dead the next day.
  • His residence is near a Hanuman temple where hundreds of macaques gather daily to be fed by tourists and devotees, creating a persistent hotspot for human–primate encounters.
  • Mayor Arti Mehra reported 1,250 monkey captures since May, including more than 450 in the past 20 days.
  • Officials plan to increase monkey-catching teams from two to 12, recruit experienced catchers from Tamil Nadu and Assam, and raise the per-capture rate.
  • Government minister Dr Harsh Vardhan issued a tribute to Bajwa, and residents describe bands of monkeys besieging homes and forcing constant vigilance.