A rampaging troop of monkeys killed nearly 30 lambs after invading an Indian farm while a shepherd was away. 

The lambs were bitten and savaged by the group of 20 monkeys after the shepherd left them behind when he took his flock of sheep to graze in nearby fields. 

According to Times Now News, neighbours tried to come to the lambs’ rescue after hearing them bleating in desperation but failed to chase the monkeys away.

None of the lambs survived the attack and their owner Tokala Saidulu was appalled when he returned to find the scene of devastation in the state of Telangana. 

A rampaging troop of monkeys killed nearly 30 lambs after invading an Indian farm while the shepherd was taking his flock to graze in nearby fields (stock photo) 

Local media said the lambs were only 30 days old but had been left in a shed when the rest of the flock was out grazing. 

No-one else was in the house when the monkeys invaded, meaning it was too late for the lambs by the time neighbours arrived.  

India is thought to be home to around 50million monkeys and frequently cause chaos including injuries to humans and sometimes deaths. 

In another incident earlier this week, a mother and four of her children were crushed to death at their home after a wall was brought down by a troop of monkeys.

The five victims were killed by falling masonry after the wall was ‘violently shaken’ by monkeys while the family slept in the courtyard, reports said. 

Red-faced rhesus macaques have also been known to spread havoc in Delhi, snatching food and phones and even breaking into homes.  

More recently, authorities said a troop of monkeys had attacked a medical official and snatched away blood samples of coronavirus patients in Meerut. 

People living near the medical college feared a further spread of the virus if the monkeys carried the samples into residential areas. 

However, there is no evidence so far that monkeys can be infected with the coronavirus.  

Environmentalists say the destruction of monkeys’ natural habitats is the main reason the animals move into urban areas in search of food.