# Monkey man attacks in New Dehli **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 18, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831 "2001-05-18T14:41:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/1 "2001-05-18T14:41:47Z")
What do you think the monkey man is? [http://pets.msn.com/news/article10.asp](http://pets.msn.com/news/article10.asp) “Monkey man” attacks - India hunts mystery creature ``` The suburbs of New Delhi were gripped by fear this week as several dozen residents reported attacks by an ape-like creature that leapt from roof to roof. Police received about 65 reports of a mysterious attacker with a human body and a monkey's face. The creature is said to have been scratching and biting victims since last Saturday. ``` ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/2 "2001-05-18T15:29:31Z")
The most interesting theory I have heard is that someone has found a hidden cache of gold or other valuables and is using the monkey man mask to scare people away so he can have it for himself. The same source claimed that four teenagers and a great dane have been dispatched to get to the bottom of this mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/3 "2001-05-18T16:03:01Z")
Why doesn’t the USA have our own monkey man? i demand that the Federal Government get off its duff and import us some monkey men!!! my theory is a gang of junior high school kids and three holloween masks. but a half-human/half-monkey hybrid created by aliens for the express purpose of scaring New Delhians sounds sooooo much cooler. after all, las chupacabras were the first wave of the visious alien animal invasion. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/4 "2001-05-18T18:25:40Z")
So … how long before Sun Classic Pictures makes an “In Search of the Monkey Man of New Delhi” flick? (Sun Classic Pictures was the company responsible for such immortal classics as _Beyond and Back, The Bermuda Triangle, In Search of Historic Jesus, Noah’s Ark,_ and I’m guessing 2 or 3 bigfoot movies.) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/5 "2001-05-19T01:54:00Z")
(Overheard at work today re: the Monkey Man) “And _this_ is a country with nuclear weapons???” From [http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/18/india.monkey.man/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/18/india.monkey.man/index.html) > [@](#): > > But television news reports said that many of the city’s residents were taking the matter into their own hands, trawling the streets at night armed with hockey sticks and batons. > > … > > Two terrified residents of the city’s suburbs, including a pregnant woman, fell to their death earlier this week on hearing cries in the neighborhood warning that the attacker was nearby. > > Collective hysteria then set in after many people said they had been scratched or bitten by the creature while they were sleeping on terraces, particularly during power cuts. > > … > > (police) suspected some residents called the police every time there was a power failure because they believed police would be forced to restore power before starting a search. > > … > > One showed a swarthy broad-faced bearded man with a flat nose, thick lips and a piercing stare. The other, which could hardly have been more different, portrayed a narrow-faced man with a receding hairline, a scrappy moustache and dark glasses. > > However, some residents said the creature was “as small as a cat” and had metallic hands, while a few others claimed it was a monkey who could turn into a cat. OK…I guess the last part scares me most. Another source says people say the Monkey Man can change into a “beautiful (?) cat with golden, tawny fur…” Uhhh…yeah. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/6 "2001-05-19T02:58:01Z")
Wait… Has the “Monkey Man” been attributed to an actual death? Or only people jumping to escape him? Whatever happened to that 4 foot mystic? Should the State Department issue a travel advisory for short people? [ducking and covering, running away] ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/7 "2001-05-19T23:11:01Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/19/india.monkey.man.02/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/19/india.monkey.man.02/index.html) > [@](#): > > Delhi police close to solving ‘Monkey Man’ mystery > May 19, 2001 Posted: 3:09 AM EDT (0709 GMT) > > NEW DELHI, India – Police in the Indian capital say they believe they are close to solving the case of the mysterious “monkey man,” blamed for attacks in which dozens of people have been bitten and clawed. > > “We have already narrowed down our suspicion on the people involved in the mischief,” Joint Commissioner of Police Suresh Roy told Reuters. “We should be able to end this soon.” > > Police have offered a reward of 50,000 rupees ($1,063) for information leading to the capture of the “monkey man,” which Roy said was not an animal, but “humans involved in mischief.” Duh. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Roy said police had arrested 12 people on charges of spreading rumours and creating panic in the city of 13 million people that is already gripped by fear. Can you say “Orson Welles” and “War of the Worlds”? Actually, I was kinda hoping it was a Florida skunk ape. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/8 "2001-05-20T14:23:26Z")
I say it’s the restless spirit of Roddy McDowall. Or maybe Claude Akins. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/9 "2001-05-20T17:26:31Z")
I particularily like this line- > [@](#): > > Star News said one frenzied mob caught and beat a man in the east of the city, only to discover that he was an innocent bystander. I mean, how bad of a beard did _that_ poor sop have? I don’t know what would be worse- waking up bloodied and bruised, or waking up realizing people think you resemble a ‘monkey-man’ hybrid. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/10 "2001-05-20T17:27:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anthracite \* > \*\* But television news reports said that many of the city’s residents were taking the matter into their own hands, trawling the streets at night armed with hockey sticks and batons. > \*\* OK, this kind of off-topic but I have to announce this. I’m going to open a business. I’m not sure what my product will be, or the customers or the location or anything else. But I do know who my first hire will be. I want to find and hire the person who sold _hockey sticks in India_. That’s a person who can sell _anything_. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/11 "2001-05-20T18:49:56Z")
[India beat Pakistan for Dhaka hockey title…in Dhaka, on Tuesday.](http://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/mar/20hock.htm) [page of links to field hockey in India](http://www.indiatimes.com/webdirectory/242pg1.htm) I love the Internet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/12 "2001-05-21T04:36:41Z")
I’m just glad that the world’s monkey-man supply seems to be rising (from none to one). MORE MONKEY-MEN! All hail the monkey-men… ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/13 "2001-05-22T01:01:08Z")
It’s probably someone who stole a mask from the **Planet of the Apes** set. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/14 "2001-05-22T06:18:24Z")
Maybe he’s related to the fellow in the Patterson-Gimlin film. Or the Chupacabra. Or the Mothman. Or the Yowie. Actually, aren’t these hairy man-beasts usually in the rural areas? I think those 4 teens with the van and the dog need some adult supervision. How about a couple of UFO-abductee FBI agents? ---
**Author:** ![ssj\_man2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ssj\_man2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssj_man2k)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/15 "2001-05-22T06:39:50Z")
I heard that they thought the monkey man was an alien or a controlled robot, then one of my friends said it might be a robot controlled by aliens!!! I think it’s like that chupacabra think in puerto rico, or whereever it happened. They’ll catch it, and it will end up being something stupid like a giraffe. ---
**Author:** ![Abe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@Abe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/16 "2001-05-22T06:49:19Z")
In Hong Kong a couple of years back, an adult ape (I think it was an orang or a chimp) escaped from the botanical gardens and went (supposedly) terrorizing residents of the Peak and Mid-Levels (the latter is a very densely populated area). I read an interview of a Western woman who would not leave the house without her tennis racquet for protection. She honestly thought she could keep a great ape at bay with her tennis racquet. The ape was eventually recaptured and no one was seriously harmed. On the other hand, I don’t see much reason to make fun of Indians just because they too are as suggestible as the inhabitants of every other country on the planet. Sure, it’s a silly story, but it could just as easily have happened in Switzerland, the US, or Australia. If you’re going to judge people by their credulity, then the entire planet is a target for humour. Although the Monkey Man is probably not much of a mystery, has anyone ever uncovered the facts behind the Florida Skunk Ape video broadcast by the BBC (and others?) a year or so ago? On BBC World News there was a story and video clip of this very large hairy creature booting through a marsh like it had rockets attached to its feet. I am not given to believing in Bigfoot and related creatures without better evidence, but I have always been curious about that video and how they got such a big guy to run so fast through vegetation. I’ve tried looking for the video online, but did not find it. It wasn’t the typical Bigfoot video, this one actually had some substance to it (which is why I presume BBC World actually showed it in its daily News programme, as ridiculous as that sounds). ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/17 "2001-05-22T14:20:30Z")
“She honestly thought she could keep a great ape at bay with her tennis racquet.” —Simple! Great ape approached her. She strikes a fetching pose and says, “tennis, anyone?” Great ape says, “I say, Lady Cecily, that would be ripping!” And they skip off to the tennis courts while Lord Throttlebottom fumes jealously by the monkey puzzle tree. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-man-attacks-in-new-dehli/65831/18 "2001-05-22T15:43:51Z")
Maybe he just got sick of hanging out with Tweeter and moved to India.