South Tamil Nadu state police are investigating the death of an 8-day-old baby girl suspected of being thrown from her roof by a monkey.

Police yesterday said the attack occurred while two twin girls were sleeping at their home in Thanjavur district on February 13.

She screamed and rushed to the outside terrace, seeing monkeys holding the babies, standing on the roof.

When people tried to get the babies back, the monkeys placed one on the roof and threw the other into the air, causing the baby to fall into the drain and die.

"According to information we received, the mother was cooking while the twins were sleeping. The monkeys may have gone through the roof," a police official said.

One ranger said that it was unprecedented to remove bricks to enter a house and pass through the same hole.

Monkeys attack humans and steal food, but rarely kidnap children.