Monkey Madness In Mathura: Rs 20 Lakh Jewelry Snatched At Temple, Recovered After 8-Hour
A monkey in Vrindavan snatched a bag with Rs 20 lakh worth of jewelry from a devotee. After an intense 8-hour search, police recovered the valuables and returned them safely to the family.
In a bizarre yet heart-pounding episode that unfolded at one of Vrindavan’s most revered shrines, a monkey made away with a handbag containing diamond jewelry worth over ₹20 lakh, only for the local police to chase down the audacious simian and retrieve the valuables after an eight-hour-long effort.
The incident took place on Friday, shortly after Aligarh-based diamond merchant Abhishek Agarwal and his family completed their visit to the Thakur Banke Bihari temple, a site known as much for its devotional significance as it is for its monkey trouble.
A Devotional Visit Turns Into a Nightmare
What began as a serene spiritual trip for the Agarwals quickly spiraled into chaos. As they were walking towards their parked car after attending the Phool Bangla Seva (flower decoration service), a monkey lunged at Abhishek Agarwal, snatching the handbag he was carrying. To the family’s horror, the bag held a fortune in precious ornaments — a diamond necklace, two diamond-studded rings, a pair of diamond earrings, and three silver anklets.
The streets of Vrindavan, familiar with the monkey menace, witnessed yet another theft — only this time, the stakes were significantly higher.
A stunned Abhishek tried every possible tactic suggested by bystanders — offering food, attempting to distract the monkey, even trying to gently coax it down. Nothing worked. With anxiety mounting and nightfall approaching, he turned to the Vrindavan Police for help.
Circle Officer (Sadar) Sandeep Singh and his team quickly sprang into action. Reviewing CCTV footage from the temple’s surroundings, they managed to track the monkey’s movements. The chase led officers through narrow lanes, rooftops, and finally into the nearby bushes where the simian had stashed the bag.
A Rare Police Operation — And a Happy Ending
According to a press release issued by Mathura Police, the team worked tirelessly for eight hours to recover the handbag without harming the monkey or damaging the contents.
“In an unusual yet commendable incident, Vrindavan Police recovered a bag containing valuable jewelry that had been snatched by a monkey and successfully returned it to the devotee,” the statement read.
The bag — containing all the valuables untouched — was returned to a tearfully relieved Abhishek Agarwal and his family, who expressed immense gratitude for the swift police response.
“We’re truly thankful to the officers. Their commitment and persistence saved us from a massive loss,” said Agarwal, visibly emotional after the ordeal.
Incidents like these are not uncommon in Mathura-Vrindavan, a bustling pilgrimage hotspot where thousands of devotees arrive daily. The city’s monkey population, drawn by the abundance of food and the chaos of crowds, has long posed a challenge for both locals and authorities.
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