Dharmender and 17 other ‘rogue’ monkeys were being kept intermittently in two cages of 10 feet by 10 feet over a period of eight years at the Deer Park here. The monkeys had become even more ferocious because of the cramped quarters and the authorities had been forced to put up a wire mesh around the front bars of their cage to ensure any playful children did not get his hand bit by them.

Surprisingly the monkeys, who have built up a reputation based on their acts of menace, were bundled off into cages and transported into a van for further journey to Gurgaon yesterday without any hitch. “This is because of the special relationship they share with us”, says Sadhu Singh, who is one of the handlers of the ‘’rogues”.

The handlers have built up an empathy with the monkeys over the years. “We understand how they have been driven out of their natural habitat”, he says. The handlers say once a monkey is driven out of his natural habitat, he strikes back against perceived aggressors as a kind of reflex action. “Most monkeys keep to themselves but some do become rogues”, they add. Speaking about the various monkeys which have been kept in the two cages here, Sadhu Singh said Dharmender had got his name due to his good looks and daredevil antics. “We have monkeys who used to go after clothes or ladies purses and do similar such antics”, he adds.

Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) P.C. Ataliya admits that the state does not have any rehabilitation centre for the rogues. “They were being kept in cramped quarters because of lack of any specialised facility for them”, he says. The officer said, moreover, the two cages had seen their capacity being stretched to the utmost. “We started with keeping three to four monkeys in the beginning but over the years their number increased with all rogue monkeys being caught at various places in the state being transported here”.

Ataliya is happy to see the monkeys go. “The rescue centre by the name of Hanuman Vatika at Sultanpur in Gurgaon has come up according to the design specifications of the CZI”. He says the monkeys are likely to be given more space and movement in their new habitat which may in fact make them less aggressive over a period of time.