Almost everyone in India would recognize Hanuman, the monkey god. He has a human body with the face of a monkey, and sports a long tail. He is usually pictured wearing an ornate jeweled crown and holding a large sceptre.
Now, he may even be more identifiable because somehow, the monkey god has been issued a biometric identification card, complete with picture, address, fingerprints and a mobile phone number.
The card lists Hanuman as "Pawanji's" son (in Hindu mythology he was the son of Pawan). The address is in the western state of Rajasthan.
Postman Heeralal Saini could not deliver the card, of course, and returned it to the post office. The mobile phone number did not connect, an official in Rajasthan's postal department said.
The card will be returned to the Bangalore office of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), he added.
The deputy general of the UIDAI, Ashok Dalwai, was not amused. "This is a deliberate mischief on the part of the operator [who issued the card]. He will be removed permanently and the enrollment agency will be penalized," he said.
"The process of identifying the operator and the agency is on. It will not take time for us to identify," he continued.
India began the national identity program in 2010. It is aimed at cutting fraud and improving access to state benefits for citizens. The program issues an ID card with a unique 12digit number to each citizen with details of their biometrics, including fingerprints, iris scan and photograph.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
