IANS

KOLKATA: Residents of two West Bengal towns are reeling under animal terror: raging bulls in one and marauding monkeys in the other. And no help seems to be coming their way. Three bulls have unleashed mayhem in Dakshin Barasat and adjoining areas in South 24 Parganas district, about 30 km from here. In the last two months, they have gored to death three people and maimed many others.

The bulls have driven away people from the local market which residents say remains deserted most of the time.

"They are attacking anyone who dares to go near them. The animals enter the market and scatter fruits and upset vegetable carts. Theyeat some stuff and trample the rest," says Mukunda Das, a vegetable seller.

According to reports reaching here, nothing has been done to contain the beasts because they belong to a temple and are considered sacred: Hindus worship them as Lord Shiva's "vehicle".

Police and district officials have refused to help saying any action against the bulls would hurt the religious sentiments of the people.

In another small town, Gopiballavpur in Midnapore district, 120 km southwest of Kolkata, a band of monkeys has caused terror since March, attacking people and destroying vegetable fields and kitchen gardens.

As a result, reports say, prices of vegetables have shot up.