A grey langur that terrorised students and staff at Bhavan’s College and nearby areas in Andheri West — before being captured and released into its natural habitat by the forest department — is believed to have returned to the vicinity.
A student from Bhavan’s College, requesting not to be named, said, “Since the past two days, a langur has been spotted on the campus. As it is being aggressive, we suspect that it might be the same primate that was captured.”
Another student said, “A friend spotted the langur entering a food joint outside the campus, sparking panic among customers. The forest department must rescue the langur to prevent human-wildlife conflict and release it back into its natural environment.”
A temple on the Bhavan’s College premises, where the langur was spotted on Thursday morning. Pic/By Special Arrangement
According to sources, the langur has been seen approaching a particular man, whom the primate that haunted the campus earlier would also be seen around, leading people to believe it might be the same animal.
Forest department sources told mid-day that the langur that was earlier captured from the college campus by the Sanjay Gandhi National Park rescue team was released back into its natural habitat far away.
On October 8, mid-day revealed how visitors and students had raised concerns about a grey langur frequently seen on the campus as well as the nearby Metro station and Andheri Sports Complex, among other spots.
They requested that the animal be safely captured, as its close interactions with people were increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict, endangering both the primate and the public. Photos of the langur approaching people and even sitting on someone’s shoulder had been circulated.
Later, the same day, the forest department safely rescued the animal by darting it. According to sources, many animals and birds are intermittently spotted around the campus, given its sprawling green cover.
