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'Monkey man' keeps Delhi awake again

Residents carrying sticks and torch-lights maintained vigil all through Thursday night in several parts of the capital fearing an attack by the elusive 'monkey man', even as the police launched a crack-down on rumour mongers and mischief-makers.

The police received over 100 distress calls, mostly bogus, from all over Delhi as mass hysteria gripped the metropolis with people beating up innocent passers-by suspecting them to be the 'monkey man.'

Only three out of the 10 "victims" of attacks by the 'monkey man' on Thursday night were taken to hospitals.

"While in one place police found a monkey, at another place people trapped a dog mistaking him for the monkey man," Joint Commissioner Police (southern range) Amod Kanth said.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested five persons, including a doctor, on charges of spreading rumours.

The police commissioner has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 to any person providing information about the 'monkey man.'

Ruling out the involvement of any animal in the attacks, Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi range) Suresh Roy said that in all probability it is all the handiwork of some mischief mongers. "We will be able to sort this out quickly," he said.

The fear-psychosis has already claimed two lives in the capital. One person jumped to death in the Shakarpur area of north-west Delhi on Wednesday night following a false alarm raised by his neighbour, while a pregnant woman fell and died while rushing out in panic in the Anand Vihar area of east Delhi earlier this week after she heard of an attack by the 'monkey man.'

PTI

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