HYDERABAD, INDIA, September 1, 2002: An earlier story carried in HPI regarding the monkey staying in the Hanuman Temple here being of good health was erroneous. On Saturday the monkey died of starvation after devotees resisted attempts by a team of veterinarians to shift it out for treatment. The monkey, which had strayed into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at Thimmannagaripally was found sitting atop the icon of Lord Hanuman on August 1. Since then, a large number of devotees had been thronging the temple to offer garlands and fruits to the monkey and seek its blessings and forgiveness. The monkey stopped eating after a few days and its health deteriorated. Following the court’s intervention, two veterinarians conducted a check-up on the monkey on Friday. But the devotees prevented them from moving him to another place for treatment and a day later the monkey died. The temple committee performed the last rites of the monkey on Saturday evening. Thousands of devotees, who considered the monkey an incarnation of Hanuman, attended the funeral.
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