As many as 14 people sustained injuries within the past two weeks in ward 6 of Keuleni village of Binayi Tribeni Rural Municipality in separate attacks by a monkey.

According to Nurendra Shah, ward 6 chairman of Binayi Tribeni, a monkey enters the settlement and attacks people as well as domesticated animals indiscriminately. The locals are in abject terror fearing that it could be a rabid monkey.

Locals said they had taken anti-rabies vaccines after being scratched and bitten by monkeys, but the vaccines were costly.

“One has to pay up to Rs1,800 for a single dose, which has made it difficult for villagers with poor financial conditions to afford treatment,” said Shah, adding that even though the locals had informed the Chitwan National Park about the growing monkey menace, the authorities ignored their complaints.

According to Anchal Joshi, a local woman, monkeys had already injured several people and livestock in and around Keuleni. She said a single large rhesus monkey had been attacking both humans and livestock.

“Since only one monkey with such aggressive behaviour has been seen, people fear it might be infected with rabies,” she said. Joshi added that suspicions had deepened after a cow bitten by the same monkey a week ago died.