Published 16:45 IST, July 31st 2019
In video that will spook you, humongous crocodile emerges from a road-side drain in Maharashtra's Chiplun
A humongous eight-foot long crocodile was rescued and rehabilitated by authorities from a roadside drain in the tourist locale of Chiplun in Maharashtra's coastal Ratnagiri district.
A humongous eight-foot long crocodile was rescued and rehabilitated by authorities from a roadside drain in the tourist locale of Chiplun in Maharashtra's coastal Ratnagiri district.
In the video, the authorities appear to know that something big is lurking in the drain, and are armed with rope and stick ready to snare it. They goad the croc forward, and when it emerges, its true size is revealed, shocking just about everyone at the location. Netizens could not believe their eyes that a crocodile was found in what is generally considered the abode of rodents and toads.
The incident occurred in Chiplun’s Dadar area and as per reports by the forest officials, took place on Friday, July 26, when Ratnagiri was swept by heavy rain leading to floods in the Vashishti River.
The crocodile was suspected to have entered the town’s drainage system which was flooded due to the water overflow from the nearby river. The crocodile had been trapped in the drain struggling to escape, its rapid movement and the noises caused due to that made it come under the purview of the locals who then upon sighting the unwanted guest, alerted the fire brigade and the Forest Department.
Reassuring the locals, the Divisional Forest Officer, V. K. Surve said that such a sighting was very common due to the monsoon season. He said that the crocodile had been safely rescued and since it had not suffered any injuries, it was released back into the river
He said that apart from this incident, the Divisional Forest Office is also summoned to rescue other reptiles like snakes, and last month it rescued a leopard trapped during a torrential downpour.
With a population of around 55,000, Chiplun town, 325 kms south of Mumbai is a popular tourist resort and is known for its Alphonso mangoes and kokam, the Savatsada Waterfalls, the Parshuram Temple and other temples, plus a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum.
Updated 18:53 IST, July 31st 2019