Panic-stricken residents have also come under attack and say the acts of animal violence have been carried out 'in revenge' after a pack of dogs killed one of the monkeys' infants.

The horrific incidents have been reported in the villages of Majalgaon, where 250 dogs are said to have been killed by rampaging primates, and nearby Lavul in Maharashtra's Beed district.

According to India's News18 website, 'not a single pup' is left in Lavul where even school children are being chased and attacked.

Pictures in Indian media appeared to confirm the attacks. In one, a monkey can be seen on a roof carrying a puppy to the edge of a building.

Separate footage, possibly of the incident that sparked the revenge attacks, showed dogs chasing monkeys through the village as local women and children ran for safety. The dogs appeared to be protecting a child.

Residents of the village contacted officials at the forest department, asking that they round up the killer monkeys. However, when officers were sent to the village they were unable to catch even one of the primates, News18 said.