Disturbing visuals of chained monkeys at Kolkata nightclub stir animal lovers

Disturbing visuals of around six monkeys allegedly held captive at a Kolkata nightclub for entertainment purposes enraged the city’s residents, including model Tina Mukherjee, stylist Aujopa Mukherjea, actor Anindya Chatterjee, director Ayan Chakraborty, and many others. They took it to social media and protested the heinous animal cruelty. As the day passed, the nightclub authority posted a clarification that was later challenged by others. 

Senior model Tina Mukherjee took to her social media to post alarming videos of scared monkeys being used as part of a circus-themed party at Toy Room, Kolkata. “Woke up this morning to these disturbing visuals of a monkey chained in a nightclub as a part of @toyroomkolkata circus-themed night. To say that this is the worst kind of act is an understatement, what the hell were you guys thinking? This little baby looks petrified and is probably drugged, my heart is breaking seeing how helpless it looks. How can someone get away with this in today's day and age? How low is really low for these idiots? They need to be called out now!!!!,” she wrote on her Instagram. 

The post later went viral on social media and people tagged Kolkata Police, animal activists, the ruling party, and so on. While talking to us, Aujopa said, “This morning I got a call from Tina (Mukherjee) who asked me if I knew what happened in Toyroom last night. I was clueless until she sent me the horrifying videos of a baby monkey chained up in a nightclub for a circus-themed party. They were scared of the loud music, lights, smoke, and the drunkards who were bothering them for videos and pictures. I was extremely shocked at this inhuman oppressive cruel form of entertainment.” She also took this up on social media asking friends for help. “I then spoke to Joydipda (Joydip Kundu, animal rights activist who runs an NGO) who then escalated it to the forest department. I also spoke with Anindya (actor) who escalated it to the Police. Friends started sharing it from their social media handles and in no time the news spread. Meanwhile, I kept getting more videos of the venue and kept escalating them till the Police & the officials of the forest department reached the venue. I am happy that some action has been taken and I would like to thank everyone for coming together to stop such heinous atrocities. Are we more evolved than animals? I wonder,” she added. 

Later, the nightclub issued a statement in which they claimed that ‘Toy Room had no role to play in hiring the monkeys and the madaris’. The management claimed that Madaris approached them and they ‘politely refused’. They further claimed that the madaris moved out of the nightclub and showed the performance at the ground level of the mall. 

Their claim was challenged by DJ Teri Miko – who played there at the party. In an Instagram video, she claimed that the presence of monkeys bothered her and she discussed it with the management. “I raised my concern about animals being in a nightclub in a loud environment. I was told that monkeys will be taken away shortly. But that did not happen. Basically, my concerns were ignored,” she said. She also clarified her stand and said she is against any kind of animal in a nightclub.