A murder trial in India had to be halted on Wednesday in bizarre circumstances after a monkey stole some key pieces of evidence before the case reached court.

According to the Times of India, the monkey was able to snatch a package of evidence containing 15 pieces of evidence - including a knife, the alleged murder weapon, the Telegraph reports.

During a preliminary hearing, Jaipur police had to admit in court that since the murder in 2016, a monkey snatched the evidence while they were being transported.

Their confession came in writing to the court after they were ordered to present the evidence that would be used in the case.

Moreover, police said the policeman who was responsible for protecting the evidence while they were being relocated for safe storage in Malkhana village was later suspended, retired and then died.

The case in question involves the murder of Shashikant Sharma, whose body was discovered near the Chandwaji police station in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

His family had reported him missing three days before his body was found.

Once found, they protested by blocking a major road in the county.

Under pressure from the community, police arrested two men five days later - Rahul and Mohanlal Kandera - both from Chandwaji.

They were charged with murder.

The main evidence in this case, including a knife believed to have been used by the suspects to kill Sharma, was gathered and placed in a package of evidence, ready to be used in court when the case goes to trial.

However, according to NDTV of India, the evidence was being held temporarily under a tree by police due to lack of space at the Malkhana audit facility.

It was then that police said in the written response to the court that the monkey snatched 15 pieces of evidence and fled.