UFO ROUNDUP Volume 7 Number 32
Volume 7
Number 32
August 6, 2002
Editor: Joseph Trainor
E-mail: Masinaigan@aol.com
HANUMAN GOES ON RAMPAGE IN PATNA, INDIA
He's back! The creature called Hanuman, also known as "the Monkey Man" or "the Monkey Monster" popped up in northern India last week.
"Almost a year after residents in the Indian capital" of New Delhi "were terrorized by the alleged attacks of an elusive monkey-like creature, the eastern city of Patna says it too is facing similar attacks from an ape-like animal."
Patna is a large city on the south bank of the river Ganges, in Bihar state, located about 600 kilometers (360 miles) east-southeast of New Delhi.
"Local newspapers here" in Bihar state "are full of reports of 'mysterious monkey attacks,' but police have scotched the stories and warned of strict (legal) action against those spreading rumors."
"'There are rumors of a monkey-like machine (cyborg--J.T.), referred to as Monkey-Man, that attacks those sleeping on rooftops and in open places at night,' said O.N. Bhaskar, Patna's police chief. 'But it is pure rumor, as no one has actually lodged a case in any police station. There have not been any recognized cases of injury. We have warned the public at large to be on guard against any rumors and to help police arrest those who spread such rumors.'"
"Residents of Patna were not reassured, with local newspapers headlining quotes from eyewitnesses and victims of the 'monkey-man.'"
"'The monkey-man attacked and injured my son-in-law, Joginder Singh, on Friday night (July 19, 2002) while he was sleeping on the rooftop of my house,' a newspaper quoted Bhagwat Sharan Singh of Patna's Mainpura colony (district) as saying, 'He (the attacker--J.T.) looked like a monkey.'"
"Some even alleged the creature 'jumps and sparkles with red and blue lights.'"
"Other described it as resembling a machine, operated by remote control and 'handled by anti-social elements to terrorize people.'"
"Police chief Bhaskar said hospitals and doctors had been told to report any case of injury attributed to the mysterious creature."
"Meanwhile, fear of 'the monkey-man' took an ugly turn when a group of people beat up a Hindu sadhu (itinerant holy man--J.T.) with a flowing beard, on suspicion that he was the creature."
"The incidents in Patna seemed almost identical to the attacks reported in the Indian capital last May (2001) when, for more than a month, a 'mysterious monkey-like creature' besieged New Delhi."
(Editor's Note: For the full story of last year's Hanuman flap, see UFO Roundup, volume 6, number 20 for May 17, 2001, "Weird new 'manimal' appears in India," page 1, and UFO Roundup, volume 6, number 21 for May 24, 2001, "India cites Hanuman for two murders," page 1; "Hanuman goes on a rampage in India's Trans-Yumana," page 2; and "Hindu avatar or FEMA cyborg?" page 3.)
"Descriptions agreed that the creature was 'black' and 'ape-like, with sharp claws,' but varied on its height with some reporting it as over 1.8 meters (6 feet) tall while others said it was about 0.7 meters (2 feet) tall."
"At least two people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a crush when hysterical people tried to escape into their homes when hearing that the monkey-man was near."
"A number of others were treated for scratches and bite wounds in hospital but a special police enquiry dismissed the 'monkey-man scare' as a figment of imagination and a product of mass hysteria." (See the Hindustan Times for July 22, 2002. Many thanks to Jim Hickman and Gerry Lovell for this newspaper article.)
NEW WAVE OF MUTILATIONS STRIKES ARGENTINA
There was a sharp upsurge in the number of cattle mutilations in Argentina last week, raising speculation that a new cycle of slayings is underway.
"Four mutilated cows were found again some 12 kilometers (8 miles) southwest of Bartolome de las Casas, having the same characteristics as earlier cases. Two were found on Wednesday (July 24, 2002) and two more on Thursday (July 25, 2002) in a field owned by Ariel 'Papin' Suarez."
"The fifth animal was found yesterday (Saturday, July 27, 2002) in Estanislao del Campo. The victim was a cow belonging to Victor Andres Roldan in the Ranero Cuia pasture field, some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from" Estanislao del Campo, "having all the characteristics such as 'mutilation,' 'cauterization' and 'millimetric incisions.'"
"Fourteen 'unverified' reports were received in the Fontana and Bartolome de las Casas region. Reports included a young horse, a (water) buffalo and 12 bovines."
(Editor's Note: This is the fourth horse mutilation in Argentina in 2002.)
In Buenos Aires province, "a few farmers informed (the newspaper) El Tiempo last night (Friday, July 26, 2002) that while surveying the El Yunque ranch in the locality of Parish, they found a bovine presenting signs of mutilation. The case, according to the rural worker's description, was similar to others detected in the area and in other parts of the country (Argentina). In this particular case, the animal showed mutilations in the rectal area, tongue, eyes and jaw."
In the southern part of the province, near Balcarce, "the discovery of a mutilated cow in a field of the Buena Vista area is surprising in itself, but the discovery of waterless tanks and a lemon tree that lost all of its leaves in a single night, and cows suddenly found in another pen, have made the event an unexplainable one."
Field owner Gustavo Dimuro "remarked that last Sunday afternoon (July 21, 2002) he was touring the fields and distributing rolls (bales in the USA--J.T.) of hay for the cattle to eat, and did not detect any anomalous activity. Since there was no rain on Monday morning (July 22, 2002), he made the same tour with Jorge Latorre, and it was then that they found the dead bovine."
"Approaching it, they were able to attest that it had been mutilated in the same manner as in the cases which have appeared in the national media."
"'We have found that the entire palate bone was skinned, its tongue was missing, and its anus and genitals had been torn off. It was a three-to-four year old cow, pregnant, and in excellent health,' Dimuro remarked, adding that when they found the (calf) fetus it was intact."
"Although they gave little importance to it at the time, after the discovery, they remembered that only a few days ago the two water tanks in the field had been found completely dry. Both tanks have cement floors. They refilled them and (later) found that both tanks were still full, showing no signs of leaks anywhere."
"Another notable event occurred between last Sunday (July 21, 2002) and Monday (July 22, 2002). A lemon tree close to the site where the animal was found was completely leafless."
"The strange events didn't end there, as to everyone's surprise, there were animals who had changed pasture fields without any explanation. 'In a single pasture field of 200 animals, I found three cows in one pasture and two in another, where the heifers are kept. We looked to see if the barbed wire had been broken, and we found nothing,'" Dimuro said, "'We can't explain how this happened.'"
In addition, "several birds appeared mysteriously mutilated in the vicinity of El Fuerte, department of Santa Barbara. Police sources informed (the newspaper) Pregon that for the time being the studies have failed to yield any results regarding the reason why the animals died: emptied out through their anal sphincters without any signs of injury or aggression."
According to the Sheriff's Office in Palma Sola, "to whose jurisdiction El Fuerte belongs...the mutilated birds belong to Fortunato Morales, a resident of El Fuerte, who claims that eight chickens died under these strange circumstances during the past three months."
"The animals have had their entrails extracted through the anal sphincter. The bodies are dry, bloodless and odorless. The means of killing does not correspond to any predator in the area. It was also known that the police officers in charge of the investigation requested the collaboration of the SENASA veterinarian at Palma Sola, Dr. Mario Portal."
(Editor's Note: SENASA is a Spanish acronym that stands for National Health and Agroalimentary Quality Service. This El Fuerte case bears a close resemblance to classic Chupacabra attacks in recent years in Chile and Brazil.)
In Chaco province, "a mutilation took place in La Tigra, in a field 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the urban center. The pasture field, located in Lot 12, belongs to Horacio Salivar, 35, and held a bovine that met the same fate as other similar animals who made the national news."
Salivar said "that a neighbor had told him last Tuesday (July 30, 2002) that there was 'a flutter of crows' over his field. Upon reaching the field, he found that an 11-month-old calf had died but revealed strange injuries, among them the absence of eyes, tongue, maxillary (jaw) muscles and anus."
"The cattleman, confronted by the scene, alerted the local police unit, which in turn informed the Livestock Agency, contacting Pedro Tomas Bosch and the provincial capital's Rural and Ecological Police."
"There was a considerable number of crows flying over the area but, contrary to what is usually the case when an animal dies, none of the birds approached the dead calf. Nor did the other bovines, who usually surround their dead companion, come close."
"'It was evident that it had been dead for a few days,'" Salivar said, "'But it (the calf) was neither stiff nor smelly. One of my cows died a while back, and in that case, the crows ate it up in a matter of hours. This is very odd, and it's the first time I've ever seen it.'"
"Finally, Salivar highlighted that both he and his friend refused to touch the animal 'because it's something weird. I don't believe, as it is said, that the (red-muzzled) mouse is involved, because in looking at the animal's position, it is very strange for it to die like that, and that its eyes, tongue and everything else should be extracted so cleanly. Several days have gone by, and there's still no odor. This is very weird,' he insisted." (See the Argentinian newspapers El Comercial for July 28, 2002, "Five cows mutilated;" El Tiempo for July 27, 2002, "Another bovine mutilated, this time in Parish;" El Diaro de Balcarce for July 28, 2002, "Waterless tanks and cows out of place?" Pregon for August 1, 2002, "Mutilated birds in El Fuerte;" and Norte of Chaco province for August 2, 2002, "Another mutilated cow, this time in La Tigra." Muchas gracias a Scott Corrales, Alicia Rossi y Gloria Coluchi para todos eses articulos de diario.)
UFOs REMAIN VERY ACTIVE ALL OVER ARGENTINA
"A couple that was driving along last night (Friday, July 26, 2002) at around 9 p.m. from the SETIA Campground toward the city" of Chascomus, in Argentina's Buenos Aires province, "along the peripheral road, witnessed a large, sky-blue light, changing color and size," as it flew overhead.
A reporter from the newspaper El Fuerte "was able to see the light, which at that time, remained stationary over Mount Brown, near the Playa San Jose beach facility. Its color was now red, and it gave off flashes."
"Minutes later, a local resident contacted El Fuerte (to say that she had--S.C.) see the light descend and lose itself behind the treeline."
"An hour later, at 10:30 p.m., two other witnesses saw the phenomenon on Route 20, near the Aeroclub. The object moved slowly westward. This sighting can be added to others which have been taking place in our area during recent months."
Elsewhere in the province, "the alleged appearance of strange floating figures and red spheres moving at high speed during the night and in the sand dunes area leading toward the Playa Arroyo Pareja municipal beach, facing the Calle Corrientes and Calle Libertad (streets)" in Commandante Atlantida, south of Bahia Blanca, "wove a mantle of mystery around residents in that section of the city."
And in La Rioja province, "local residents remarked that strange lights were seen over the hills of Ulapes during those days" when recent cattle mutilations took place, "and Jose Nievas said as much last Sunday (July 28, 2002) when he was in Aguayo and on his way back to Ulapes and saw two large lights moving swiftly over the mountains."
"'I don't believe in witches,' said another cattleman, 'But they exist, all right.'" (See the Argentinian newspapers El Fuerte of Chascomus for July 27, 2002, "Strange lights over the lake;" La Nueva Provincia of Bahia Blanca for August 2, 2002, "Strange lights, figures allegedly seen in Cd. Atlantida;" and El Independencia of La Rioja province for July 30, 2002, "Lights, mutilated animals reported in Ulapes." Muchas gracias a Scott Corrales, Gloria Coluchi y Alicia Rossi para todos eses articulos de diario.)
DISC-SHAPED UFO SIGHTED IN TONBRIDGE, KENT
A disc-shaped gray UFO identical to the one photographed in McMinnville, Oregon in 1950 was spotted several weeks ago in Tonbridge, Kent.
"On Thursday, June 13, 2002, Bob Fetch and his son observed from their property in Tonbridge, Kent, England an object that they first thought was a child's helium-filled balloon. But the object was moving sideways and with speed, which aroused their suspicions." As they looked closer, "it appeared to be disc-shaped."
"Mr. Fetch ran into the house to grab his camera and, with his son, ran after the object."
"They found themselves in a field behind the Langley Hotel on London Road (in) Tonbridge, where they got a great view of the object, and there were several other people out walking their dogs who also saw the object, which was completely silent."
"Mr. Fetch managed to take one clear photograph of the object, in colour, before it silently took off. They observed it for about 10 minutes."
The photograph was published in a local newspaper, the Kent and East Sussex Chronicle.
The Fetch photo "shows a disc-like object with what looks like an aerial or tower (cupola) on top, just like the McMinnville photographs taken by Paul Trent on May 11, 1950 and again photographed in 1954 by a French Air Force pilot." (See the Kent and East Sussex Chronicle for July 12, 2002. Many thanks to Chris Rolfe of UFO Monitors-East Kent for this report.)
LUMINOUS UFO OBSERVED IN DAWLISH, DEVON
On Sunday, July 21, 2002, at 10:50 p.m., Philip Cross was outdoors in Dawlish, Devon, UK when he spotted a bright light approaching from the east. He reported, "I noticed a very bright light, which appeared to be hovering over Exeter. The object was completely stationary. When viewed through 15-power binoculars, the object had a central green light, with alternating red lights on each side."
"As we watched the object, a smaller orange-amber light appeared to float around the central object. We tried using a 40-power telescope, but unfortunately the optics were not very good, and only showed a bright point of light."
"Leaving the telescope trained on the object, it slowly moved westward, without gaining any height (altitude) and the stars behind the object climbed in the sky, the way they do with the earth's rotation. I phoned a friend, who also saw the object, but by the time he had located it and trained his telescope on it, it had just become a bright point of light. He suggested a satellite. Weirdest satellite I ever saw!" (Email Form Report)
SEAGULLS ATTACK JOGGERS IN SOUTHERN FRANCE
"Three marauding seagulls have been sighted in the last few days in Sote and Frontignan, in the department of Herault," on France's Mediterranean Sea coastline.
"According to the Prefecture de Police in Montpellier, none of the humans targeted have been injured."
"Seagulls attacked a jogger as she was running along the beach at Sote."
"A pedestrian who wandered into the same stretch of beach was stung on the top of the head by a gull's beak."
"A couple who attempted to board their boat in Frontignan were forced away by a flock of several virulent gulls who had taken possession of the boat."
"A spokesman for the Prefecture de Police has asserted that 'attacks by gulls are very rare.'"
Curiously, the gull attacks took place on Wednesday, July 17, 2002, the same day large owls attacked cropdusting planes over Veliki Popovac in eastern Serbia.
(See the Agence France Press report for July 17, 2002. Merci beaucoup au Thierry Garnier de France OVNI pour ces nouvelles.)
(Editor's Note: For more on mysterious bird attacks, see UFO Roundup, volume 7, number 31 for July 30, 2002, "Owls attack cropdusting planes in Serbia," page 9. Also, don't miss the feature story later on in this issue.)
SOLITARY UFO RETURNS TO TERRACE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
On Saturday, July 27, 2002, at 12:25 a.m., the 17-year-old male witness was returning home to Terrace, British Columbia, Canada, a small town on the Skanee River 90 miles (150 kilometers) from Prince Rupert, when he "discovered there was a moving light in the sky, southwest of Terrace, towards Prince Rupert, at a high elevation. At first I thought it was a plane, but as the object kept moving further east and higher up in the sky, I began to realize it was in fact a cigar- or perhaps pancake-shaped object with a flickering bright light moving around the side (rim--J.T.)."
"I still wasn't convinced until I noticed how eerily alien its maneuvers were. About two-and-a-half minutes after I had first seen it, it moved from a horizontal position to a diagonal position, but continued to slowly move in the sky in that diagonal position."
"Since I was walking home at the time on Lanfear Road toward Lanfear Hill, I lost track of the object once I headed up the (forest) trail. But the last minute or so that I saw it, it began moving northwest, and the elevation began dropping. Then I lost sight of it because the trees along the trail obstructed my view." (Many thanks to Canadian ufologist Brian Vike for this report.)
UFO FLOTILLA VIDEOTAPED IN MEXICO CITY
On Sunday, July 21, 2002, at 7:10 p.m., "Salvador Guerrero captured on video a small flotilla of seven gray barrel-shaped objects" as they were "flying over the eastern section of Mexico City."
"According to the report by ufologist Ana Luisa Cid, Guerrero originally saw eight objects, but one darted away, and 'he was only able to catch the seven UFOs with his telephoto lens for a period of five minutes.'"
"Guerrero said the UFOs 'moved slowly in formation,' three of them in a vertical line, and the remainder in a triangular formation." (See NotiOVNI for July 28, 2002. Muchas gracias a Daniel Munoz para esas noticias.)
UNUSUAL "LIGHT STREAK" SIGHTED IN OHIO
On Tuesday, July 30, 2002, at 1:15 a.m., Joseph R. had an unusual sighting in Brookville, Ohio (population 5,289). He reported, "I was fishing at a small lake when the sky lit up. Had experienced thunderstorms earlier that evening, so I thought it was lightning from another storm front coming my way. I turned around to see a streak traveling very fast, with a trail of smoke or something similar like you would see from a fighter jet or an airliner sometimes. But this thing also had flames near the front, and then, as fast as it appeared from the east, it burned up, I guess. All that was left was the trail of some sort of smoke. Very similar to what a vapor trail looks like in the summer sky. It was hundreds of feet in the air. I'm not sure of the speed."
Brookville is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Dayton, Ohio, which is the home of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. (Email Form Report)
(Editor's Note: Until 1990, ufologists heard persistent rumors that the U.S. Air Force was keeping dead aliens in the freezer at Wright-Pat's Hangar 18. Later, Nevada's Area 51 became the reputed site of the alien storage facility.)
REHOBOTH REPORTS FLIGHTS BY BLACK HELICOPTERS
The black helicopters returned to Rehoboth, Massachusetts (population 7,600) yet again last week, causing baffled homeowners to ponder the meaning of the mysterious overflights.
According to correspondent Mary Lou Jones-Drown, "On Saturday (July 27, 2002), we had another daylight helicopter flight when the house shook and the (farm) animals seemed nervous. Yet no helicopter was in sight."
"Another witness said she could hear it, feel its vibration, and her cat was acting weird. But she couldn't see it, either."
Mary Lou added that black helicopters were seen during the early evening hours of Monday, July 29, 2002, and Tuesday, July 30, 2002. "Now, the helicopters we've been able to see are all black. They look like the helicopter in the 1980s (TV) show Airwolf."
Rural residents of Rehoboth are discussing the why of all these overflights. The majority believe that the black helicopters are flying covert anti-terrorist missions. They think terrorists may have targeted important sites near Rehoboth.
Potential targets include the Pilgrim Monument in Plymouth, Mass., the Brayton Point electrical station in Somerset, Mass. and Touro Synagogue, one of the oldest in the USA, located in Newport, Rhode Island.
On Saturday, August 3, 2002, WJAR-TV Channel 10 in Providence, R.I. stated that the National Guard units of Massachusetts and Rhode Island had just been outfitted with H-60 Blackhawk helicopters, Mary Lou reported, "One witness said, 'They look exactly like what we've been seeing!" (Many thanks to Mary Lou Jones-Drown for these reports.)
(Editor's Note: For more on these recent overflights, see UFO Roundup, volume 7, number 30 for July 23, 2002, "Black helicopters return to Rehoboth," page 10.)
CROP CIRCLES SCORE BIG AT THE BOX OFFICE
"Signs invaded theaters this weekend, running circles around the competition and setting box office records for star Mel Gibson and director M. Night Shyamalan."
"The story of extraterrestrials and a minister's loss of faith captured $60.3 million, according to studio estimates from box office tracker Nielsen EDI. It was by far the biggest debut for a film starring Gibson."
"Signs also was the biggest opening for Shyamalan, who directed 1999's The Sixth Sense and 2000's Unbreakable, which grossed a combined $388.5 million."
"The Gibson-Shyamalan combination, plus the public's interest in the crop circle phenomenon helped propel Signs, says Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, 'In order to get a number like that, you have to have all those things working.'" (See USA Today for August 5, 2002, "Fans follow 'Signs' to a big opening," page 1D.)
From the UFO Files...
1934: BIZARRE OWL ATTACKS IN NEW YORK CITY
Last week's owl attacks in Serbia seemed like a brand-new phenomenon. But, in actuality, this has happened before. Consider the strange and long-forgotten case of the "Douglaston Devil."
Here's the story just as it appeared in the New York Times:
"A vigilante committee, formed to hunt down a savage night bird that had attacked at least five persons along 241st Street, Douglaston, Queens (a borough of New York City--J.T.), within the last five nights, patrolled the vicinity for more than two hours last night (Sunday, June 17, 1934) without catching a glimpse of the marauder."
"Just before the vigilantes turned out, the mysterious bird--which is believed to be a screech owl--chalked up his sixth victim. He was Charles Taylor, a student of New York University. Taylor reported that the bird struck at him as he was crossing the lawn to his home. He ducked and the bird skimmed past his head."
"The bird's other victims, all neighbors on 241st Street in the Douglaston Park sector, were Arthur L. Stemler, treasurer of Bancamerica Blair; Russell Cadigan, a stock broker; Mrs. Earl R. Evans, a 23-year-old housewife; Peggy Noone, 13-year-old daughter of John B. Noone, assistant secretary and treasurer of Standard Brands; and William MacDonald."
"The vigilantes, about 20 strong, assembled at Mr. Cadigan's home before nightfall. They were armed with lawn rakes, rug beaters, tennis racquets, an assortment of clubs, and even one bayonet and one rusty machete, souvenir of the Cuban Insurrection (of 1895--J.T.). Henry M. Ferguson, a bank engineer, wore a Prussian helmet. Earl Trangmar, director of marketing research for the Metropolitan Life, had another steel hat and carried the machete."
"Up and down the street they marched, using unarmed vigilantes as decoys to lead the way while the rake and machete-equipped strongarm men carried up the rear. Joseph Spiro, owner of Douglaston's taxi fleet, hooted at intervals. Once his imitation was so realistic that a vigilante swatted him with a tennis racquet."
"Mosquitoes came and went, leaving their mark on the vigilantes. A group of youngsters strolled by and began chanting, 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bird?' Wives hooted from suburban doorways. Patrolman George Ludwig was summoned by a grouchy neighbor to drive the rowdies away. And there wasn't a chirp out of the man-eating bird, not a single hoot, even of derision."
"Finally the vigilantes broke up. Their wives and unsympathetic friends saw that they got the bird--but not the one they were seeking. Their initial defeat did not, however, change their stories of the savagery of the feathered attacker."
"All six attacks were on 241st Street between Snell Boulevard and Rushmore Avenue. The heavy foliage of the maple trees on both sides of the street hides the marauder by day and at night serves as a leafy ambuscade whence, at any moment, a winged fury with blazing eyes and nerve-shattering screech may drop upon an unprotected head."
"Mr. Stemler was the first to have an encounter with the 'Douglaston Devil.' The next victim was Mr. Cadigan. When he told his story to commuters the next day, they joked about it so mercilessly that he determined to capture the bird. He is the originator of the vigilantes."
"Peggy Noone, third on the bird's attack list, was less seriously hurt than the others. She managed to ward it off by raising her arm and received a long scratch on her hand instead of a scraped forehead."
"Mrs. Evans was attacked shortly before midnight Saturday (June 16, 1934). She and her brother, Mr. Tyrell, had gone for a walk. Hardly had they left her home at 46-54 241st Street, when the bird flew down. They beat it off, but it returned to the attack. It flew at them five times and then disappeared."
"'I could not see the bird clearly at all,' Mrs. Evans said. 'It seemed dark and had a wingspread of about sixteen inches (40 centimeters). It kept flapping its wings in my face and shrieking and trying to get at my eyes.'"
"Other persons in the neighborhood could add little to that description except that the bird seemed soft and furry."
"Dr. W. Reid Blair, curator of the Bronx Zoo, said he believed the nightbird would prove to be a screech owl with a nest in the vicinity." (See the New York Times for June 18, 1934, "Queens vigilantes hunt savage bird," page 19.)
(Editor's Comment: Somebody ought to write a book about every weird thing that happened in New York City during the forty-year span between the disappearance of Judge Crater on August 6, 1930 and the birth of Jennifer Lopez on July 24, 1970. I think it would be a best-seller.)
That's it for this week. We'll be back in seven days with more UFO, Fortean and paranormal news from around the planet Earth, brought to you by "the paper that goes home--UFO Roundup." And get set for some strange doings down in Memphis, Tennessee on or about August 16, 2002. I can sum it up in just one word--Elvis. See you next time.
UFO ROUNDUP: Copyright 2002 by Masinaigan Productions, all rights reserved. Readers may post news items from UFO Roundup on their websites or in news groups provided that they credit the newsletter and its editor by name and list the date of issue in which the item first appeared.
