‘Alexa, bark like a dog’: How tech-savvy UP teen saved toddler from monkey attack

A 13-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh is being hailed for her quick thinking which prevented a potentially dangerous situation when monkeys invaded her sister’s home in Basti. Nikita, who was visiting her sister at the time, managed to scare away the intruding primates by utilising an unexpected tool - Amazon Alexa.

The incident unfolded as Nikita was playing with her 15-month-old niece in one of the bedrooms. The tranquility of the household was shattered when the family realised that monkeys had breached the premises. The mischievous creatures had gained entry as the main door was inadvertently left open by resident Pankaj Ojha, who rushed out to drop off a guest.

The unruly visitors wasted no time in causing chaos. They ransacked the drawing room on the ground floor before ascending to the first floor in search of sustenance. Panic ensued as Nikita's young niece witnessed the monkeys wreaking havoc in the kitchen and cried out for her mother.

Responding swiftly to the situation, Nikita and her sister rushed to the scene. With the toddler trembling in fear, Nikita took charge and had the presence of mind to command Amazon Alexa to emit the sound of a barking dog. The unexpected noise startled the monkeys, causing them to flee one by one, bringing an end to the alarming intrusion.

Recalling the ordeal, Nikita shared her experience with news agency ANI, stating, “A few guests visited our home and they left the gate open. Monkeys entered the kitchen and started throwing things here and there. The kid was scared and so did I but then I saw Alexa and asked it to play the sound of a dog. Because of that barking sound, the monkeys were scared and ran away.”