Dubai: A monkey climbed on board a parked bus before switching on the engine and driving it into two parked vehicles in the Indian city of Bareilly, The Times of India is reporting.

The primate snuck onto the vehicle while the driver was taking a nap, according to the news website. The animal then managed to turn the key to start the engine.

The driver of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) bus awoke and rushed to the cabin to try to chase the animal away.

However, the panicked animal accidentally shifted into second gear before jumping out of the bus, which collided into two parked vehicles as waiting passengers scattered.

"The driver managed to regain control of the bus but not before it hit two other parked buses," UPSRTC regional manager SK Sharma told The Times of India.

"Monkeys have become a regular menace at bus stations and workshops, where they often fiddle with vehicles undergoing repair. They have also damaged CCTV cameras at stations.

“Three years back, we had taken the help of municipal authorities to get rid of them but they have returned.

The manager said UPSRTC is holding talks with municipal authorities over plans to catch monkeys near the bus station and transfer them elsewhere.