Kendrapara, June 23: A rogue monkey has unleashed terror injuring over a dozen persons in at least three thickly-populated areas here.

Residents of Mankarpur, Suneilo and Ekanakhandi are almost under house arrest for the past one week because of the monkey.

The aggrieved local residents today demonstrated in front of the district collector’s office to protest against the administration’s inability to put an end to the menace.

The district headquarters hospital, the government girls’ high school and four government-run primary schools are located in the areas where the monkey has gone berserk.

The monkey has terrified even the patients, attendants and staff of the hospital.

There has also been a drop in attendance in the schools as parents are scared to send their wards outside.

“We are all panic-stricken and helpless. Neither the administration nor the forest department came to help us,” said Manoranjan Mohanty, a local resident.

District collector Niranjan Nayak said: “We have summoned forest personnel to cage the monkey and restore order in the area.”

Researchers said this sort of violent behaviour has become more pronounced among the monkeys following loss of green cover.

Forest officer of Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division Manoj Kumar Mahapatra said: “The monkeys turn violent only after being teased and provoked. The population of these animals has gone up in recent years. Their habitat has also shrunk because of depleting tree cover.”