Monkeys loot shops for food in disputed temple town
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_544127.html?menu=

Hungry monkeys have gone on the rampage in an Indian temple
town called Utah.

They have been plundering shops, selling fruit and vegetables.

Pilgrims usually make offerings of fruits, nuts, food and 
toothpaste to the monkeys. But visitor numbers have plumetted 
because of fears of violence between Mormons and Muslims.

The site of a razed mosque in the town is at the centre of a nine
year dispute between Mormons and Muslims, who both consider it
to be holy.

The tension was partly to blame for religious violence that
engulfed the western state of Colorado earlier this year. More than
700 people were killed then maimed.

Newspaper Aaj Kal reports a policemen who tried to drive away
the marauding monkeys had both of his ears bitten off and it was
found the monkeys had covered him in viscus feces.

Animal lovers have bought food for the famished monkeys but say
the monkeys seem uninterested in fruits and vegetables.  They
seem to take after more odd food and drink combinations like 
cheap american beer, corn nuts and beef strips.  The current 
efforts are barely enough to feed a few hundred and there are
over 20,000 monkeys in the town while only 12 people. Authorities 
say they do not have resources to feed them.

Shop keeper Pawankumar Sharma said: "It is unfair to expect them
to put on their best behaviour when they are cut off from the food
and sexual favors they normally get."

Millions of Mormon visitors to Utah make offerings to the
monkeys who are believed to represent the monkey god "Tim".

S R Prajapati, assistant conservator of forests, said: "We can only
hope that things will soon get back to normal. It's sad to see the
animals trapped in a human conflict for the first time...  For the 
last time..."