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American Morning

Mysterious 'Monkey Man' Terrorizes New Delhi, India

Aired May 17, 2001 - 09:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In India's New Delhi, police are looking for an attacker, but the suspect isn't your usual criminal type.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, police aren't quite sure what they're looking for.

Here's CNN's Satinder Bindra with details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fear is taking over the streets of India's capital, New Delhi. Police are receiving dozens of complaints of attacks and assaults. Injured residents say they've been slashed, clawed and bruised by a powerful and mysterious creature they call "Monkey Man."

VINOD KUMAR YADAV, VICTIM (through translator): I don't know what to think of him, because he was like a monkey on top and a man from the bottom.

BINDRA: Three thousand policemen are turning the city upside down for the mysterious creature, who some newspapers conjecture may look like this, or perhaps even like this.

In this neighborhood, police are completely swamped with complaints. They've been searching for three days, but the elusive Monkey Man continues to give them the slip.

Residents are frequently attacked and bitten by the city's booming monkey population, so according to the police, it's possible these latest attacks may be the work of an angry monkey.

MAHENDRA SINGH, DELHI POLICE: There's no clue yet whether it's a man or a black monkey.

BINDRA: Until police unravel the mystery of the Monkey Man, newspapers are having a field day with the story. But the media's interest is further fueling fears.

AMNA BEGUM, VICTIM (through translator): Everyone's afraid -- there is fear. We don't know when he will come again. No one has slept for the last two days. BINDRA: To escape the heat in small, cramped homes, many residents here sleep on roofs. Now, with the mysterious monkey-like figure on the loose, residents say they prefer to sleep indoors. As one resident put it, he'd rather lose some sleep than his life.

Satinder Bindra, CNN, New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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