Watch: hundreds attend monkey's funeral feast amid Covid-19 spike in Madhya Pradesh

Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country, about 1,500 gathered for the funeral of a monkey at a village in Madhya Pradesh.

Mourning the monkey's death on December 29, residents of Dalupura village in Rajgarh district organised last rites.

Visuals show a funeral procession with hymns being chanted as people carry the bier to the cremation site. A youth named Hari Singh also shaved his head in keeping with Hindu rituals.

The monkey was not a pet, but frequented the village.

After last rites, villagers pooled in money and organised a feast for more than 1,500 people. Cards were printed and distributed, inviting villagers to the feast.

A video of the feast showed hundreds of people sitting in rows under a pandal. Women and children are seen eating as men serve food.

The gatherings took place at a time when Madhya Pradesh is in the throes of Covid surge powered by the new fast-spreading Omicron strain.

Reports said police have registered a case for violation of Covid protocols and arrested two people as many other villagers are hiding away fearing action.