The safety of foreign tourists and the availability of emergency medical services at the Taj Mahal have come under scrutiny after a South Korean woman was allegedly attacked by a monkey inside the UNESCO World Heritage site in Agra on Sunday morning. The incident was followed by an alleged delay of nearly an hour in the arrival of an ambulance.
According to officials, the tourist, identified as Kim Meh from the Republic of Korea, had arrived at the Taj Mahal with a friend around 7 am. While her companion was collecting the complimentary water bottle and shoe covers from the entry counter, she waited near the steps when a monkey suddenly attacked and bit her on the right hand.
The woman reportedly screamed in pain as she suffered a bleeding injury. Visitors at the site managed to drive the monkey away and immediately alerted personnel from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the CISF, requesting an ambulance.
Despite repeated assurances that the ambulance would arrive within minutes, it allegedly did not reach the spot for nearly an hour. The injured tourist was eventually taken by people present at the monument to the primary health centre inside the Taj Mahal complex. After receiving first aid, she was referred to a private hospital for further treatment.
Following the incident, the South Korean tourist and her companion reportedly returned to their hotel without visiting the monument.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Arun Srivastava acknowledged negligence in the ambulance service and said disciplinary action had been initiated against the driver, whose salary has also been withheld. The incident has once again highlighted the persistent monkey menace and concerns over emergency preparedness at one of India's most visited tourist attractions.
