Farmer in UP’s Sambhal dresses as bear to protect crops from monkeys, video goes viral

Farmers in Firozpur village of Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal drict have adopted an unusual method to protect their crops from monkey attacks. A video shared news agency ANI on X shows a farmer dressed in a bear costume roaming through fields in an attempt to scare away monkeys that frequently damage crops.Farmer adopted unique trick of dressing as a bear to save crops from monkey menace. (X/@ANI)Take a look here at the clip:The clip, which has garnered over 347,000 views, captures the desperation of farmers facing repeated losses. According to locals, monkeys have become a persent menace, destroying potato and strawberry crops and affecting livelihoods.Speaking to ANI, a farmer identified as Dharambir explained the situation. “Monkeys cause a menace and eat potatoes and strawberries from our fields. There must be more than 100 monkeys here. This happens every day. Monkeys run away after seeing us like this. There should be some solution to this. Two or three of us are doing this,” he said.Temporary relief, not a long term fixWhile the bear disguise appears to work in the short term, forest officials have pointed out that it is not a sustainable solution. Ranger Manoj Kumar acknowledged the issue and said authorities are aware of the situation.“I do not have complete information regarding this, but I have come to know about it. Monkeys run away, but this is not a permanent solution. If they run away from one place, they will reach another. Concrete steps will have to be taken so that we can catch monkeys and release them in the jungle. The Forest Department will make all efforts to catch the monkeys and take action as per instructions,” he said.Internet reactsThe video has triggered a mix of reactions online, with users expressing both amusement and concern over the situation. One user wrote, “This is both funny and heartbreaking. Farmers are forced to become actors just to save their crops.” Another commented, “This shows how serious the monkey problem is in rural areas.”A third user said, “Creative solution but clearly not sustainable,” while another added, “Authorities need to step in with proper measures.”