Rather than reacting with alarm, Lal handled the situation with ease, standing up, offering her seatGovernment meetings in India are usually associated with stacks of paperwork and a serious tone—but a recent gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district took an unexpectedly amusing turn.During an official interaction with farmers and local officials, District Magistrate (DM) Asmita Lal had an unusual guest walk in, Matru, a langur well-known around the collectorate premise who is also DM’s pet. The animal didn’t just wander in; it confidently made its way to the front and settled into the chair at the head of the table.In the video, the langur entered while farmers were voicing their concerns and calmly moved past everyone before heading straight toward Lal. Rather than reacting with alarm, she handled the situation with ease, standing up, offering her seat, and even smiling as she said, “Sit here.” The light-hearted moment left those in the room both surprised and amused.The incident, recorded on a mobile phone, quickly made its way to social media, where it has been widely shared. For many at the collectorate, however, Matru’s presence wasn’t entirely unexpected. The langur is a familiar sight in the premises and has had previous run-ins during official proceedings.In fact, during an earlier farmers’ protest, Matru reportedly approached Lal, tugged at the edge of her saree, and sat alongside the demonstrators, according to India Today.Watch the video:यूपी : बागपत में “मटरू” लंगूर भरी मीटिंग में DM अस्मिता लाल के पास पहुंच गया। 2015 बैच की IAS अस्मिता एनिमल लवर हैं। मटरू उनका पेट एनिमल है और DM कार्यालय परिसर में ही घूमता रहता है। pic.twitter.com/gqWLDZadoA— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) April 17, 2026 Online reactions to the video have been a mix of humor and criticism. One user joked, “Other people submit applications to meet via DM… and Matru goes straight for the ‘no-appointment VIP entry’,” while another quipped, “Must have gone to see whether the work is running properly or not.”Some viewers appreciated the magistrate’s calm response, with one commenting, “Wow.. this is great.. good to see that DM Asmita Lal is taking care of animal so affectionately.”Story continues below this adNot everyone was impressed, though. One user raised concerns, writing, “What if someone shows up to the meeting tomorrow with their bull and cow? These pointless antics should stop. There must be some people who are feeling uncomfortable but can’t say anything because DM Madam is there…”Disclaimer: This story is shared for informational purposes and reflects light-hearted moments from public life. The views and reactions included are sourced from social media and do not constitute official policy or professional advice regarding animal handling or administrative protocols.