WATCH: Nightclub in Kolkata faces severe backlash over chained, 'drugged' monkey act

A nightclub in Kolkata faced severe criticism on social media after videos of its customers petting a chained monkey that appeared to be drugged emerged online. Several reports indicate that the club brought the monkey in for a party with a circus theme; however, the club, Toyroom, has denied this.

As the videos of the chained monkeys went viral, several people, including actor Swastika Mukherjee, expressed shock at the animal cruelty and called for the club to apologise.

One of the videos that made rounds on social media on Saturday night featured a lady caressing a monkey who looked to be restrained and unconscious. Another woman attempted to pet the caged monkey in another video as it stood surrounded.

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Reacting to the video Swastika Mukherjee of Qala and Paatal Lok fame wrote, "I'm ashamed, to say the least! It's disheartening to see what #toyroomkolkata did in the name of an act to stand out! Well, you sure did. For all the wrong reasons."

"This is cruelty to a different level. How low can you stoop, Toyroom Kolkata? And what is wrong with the people who have gone to party there and indulged in this cruel act? No one stopped this right there and then? What is wrong with human beings?" she added.

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The criticism on social media continued as Toyroom allegedly stopped social media users from tagging them in posts.

However, Toyroom reacted to the backlash by releasing a statement in which it clarified that monkeys were not part of the events they planned.

"We would like to inform that Toyroom had no role to play in hiring the monkeys or the madaris. The madaris or caregivers of the monkeys approached us at the club and we very politely refused them to do any kind of activities inside. Agreeing to which, they moved to the ground level of the mall's entrance and sat there," the nightclub said.

The nightclub further said that the monkeys were not injured or harmed as they were always with the madaris.

"We care as much as everyone else for the animals and would never do such activities where they'd be harmed or caged. We sincerely apologise if we've hurt anyone's sentiments or feelings unintentionally," it added.

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