Parbat, Feb. 19 -- Rising monkey attacks are threatening lives and livelihoods across Parbat, prompting calls from residents for a national control policy.

Jamuna Paudel of ward 6 in Phalewas Municipality said monkeys regularly enter homes, stealing rice and turning aggressive if stopped. "I am old, and when the house is empty, groups of monkeys come inside," she said.

Raju BK of Thanamaula said the attacks are forcing villagers to leave their fields fallow, increasing pressure on farming communities to migrate.

Candidates campaigning in the area report that monkey control is a top concern. Nepali Congress candidate Arjun Prasad Joshi said complaints were frequent in Phalewas, Paiyun, and Bihadi, with monkeys digging up seeds. "If elec...