(IN): Missing monkeys: Detective team visits Alipore Zoo, staff under the scanner

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Missing monkeys: Detective team visits Alipore Zoo, staff under the scanner

 

*Express News

Service<http://www.indianexpress.com/columnist/expressnewsservice/>

**Tags : kolkata, Alipore zoo missing monkeys* *Posted:* Wednesday, Aug 12,

2009 at 0311 hrs *Kolkata: *

A team consisting of senior officials of the Detective Department of Kolkata

police visited the Alipore zoo on Tuesday morning. Another group, including

the senior officials of the state forest department, also visited the zoo

and held a meeting with the zoo authorities.

 

“We went to the zoo and checked the security arrangements there. The

detective department has started its investigation, but none of the monkeys

has been found. We have received a complaint from the Kolkata police saying

that frequent visits by several political leaders are hampering the

investigation,” said K S Rajendra Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, state

forest department. Kumar said that State Forest Minister Ananta Roy would

visit the zoo on Wednesday.

 

According to sources in the detective department, the monkeys have been

smuggled to other states by now. “We do not have any information yet about

any clandestine market for illegal trade of rare species of animals

operating in the state. However, we have got information that Pune and

Bangalore have these markets. The rare species are generally purchased

either for keeping them as pets or for research purposes,” said Banibrata

Basu, Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police.

 

Police sources said that the theft may have taken place between 6 and 8am as

during this period no zoo staff was present near the cage.

 

“The security guards of the private agency left the spot at 6 am and the

supervisor of the zoo, Sanjay Ram, began his duty at 8 am. He was the first

to notice the absence of the monkeys. A sweeper, whose name is also Sanjay

Ram, who cleans the cages in the morning did not turn up on Sunday. So, we

are not ruling out the possibility of his involvement in the theft,” said

Basu.

 

Basu further said that the zoo authorities are planning to replace the

private security agency with another one and they have also prepared the

blueprint to beef up the security.

 

An official of the zoo admitted that the zoo authorities did not learn a

lesson from the attempt to steal the monkeys in March which had been foiled.

Even as a complaint had been lodged at Watgunge police station, no action

was taken.

 

 

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