A wild monkey was seen consoling mourners at a funeral in southern India.

After Devendrappa Kammar, 80, passed away on April 15 in Nargund village, his family went into mourning.

As friends and relatives gathered around the deceased man, an Indian langur monkey joined them in the grieving.

The monkey went inside the home and sat close to the relatives who were wailing. The ape put its arms around a few of the mourners and consoled them.

It stayed with the crowd till the body was moved for cremation and then went away.

Residents of Nargund say the monkey has been attending funerals for at least one year.

Parameshwara Nayak, who has spotted the monkey in several funerals, said: ''The sound of loud wailing possibly drew its attention. It attends the funerals and mimics how we console each other.''

''Now we feel that no funeral is complete until the monkey arrives,'' he added.

After Devendrappa Kammar, 80, passed away on April 15 in Nargund in southern India, his family went into mourning.

As friends and relatives gathered around the deceased man, an expected visitor arrived: an Indian langur monkey.

The monkey went inside home and sat close to the relatives who were wailing. It put its arms around a few of the mourners and consoled them.

It stayed with the crowd till the body was moved for cremation and then went away.

Residents of Nargund say the monkey has developed a habit of attending funerals over the past one year.

Parameshwara Nayak, who has spotted the monkey in several funerals, said: “The sound of loud wailing possibly draws its attention. It attends the funerals and mimiks how we console each other.”

“Now we feel that no funeral is complete until the monkey arrives,” he added.