8-Foot-Long Crocodile Found Strolling On Maharashtra Street Amid Heavy Rain
A crocodile was seen strolling down a road in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, on Sunday night. Locals suspect it came from the nearby Shiva River, home to several crocodiles.
Ratnagiri: An 8-foot-long crocodile was spotted strolling down a rain-swept road in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri on Sunday after it came out of a nearby river.
India Today reported that a video of the incident, showing the reptile roaming around in Ratnagiri's Chiplun area, has gone viral.
According to PTI, an official said the video was shot by an autorickshaw driver amid a steady downpour.
#WATCH | बीच सड़क पर घूमता दिखा मगरमच्छ, महाराष्ट्र के चिपलून शहर से सामने आया वीडियो#Maharashtra #Crocodile #Chiplun #Viral #Trending #India #ABPNews pic.twitter.com/nMb8HM0cdQ
— ABP News (@ABPNews) July 1, 2024
In the video, a few other vehicles are seen, including an autorickshaw trying to follow the crocodile with its headlights on.
According to local residents, the Shiva River, which flows through the city, is home to several crocodiles. It is suspected that one of them came out of the river during heavy rainfall.
ALSO READ | Maharashtra: Day After Lonavla Incident, Man Swept Away By Gushing Water In Pune's Tamhini Ghat
Times Now reported that locals have expressed concerns about the increasing number of crocodiles in Chiplun’s waterways.
In a similar incident that took place last year, Vadodara residents also spotted a crocodile on the road near the Vishwamitri river as the monsoon arrived in the state, according to The India Today.
The 12-foot crocodile emerged from the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, a common sight during the monsoon season. Subsequently, the wildlife officials captured the reptile and released it back into the river.
Another incident has been reported by Times Now wherein an 8-year-old-boy died due to a crocodile attack in Odisha’s Angul district. The incident took place on Saturday, June 29, when the boy had gone to Mahanadi river wherein he was attacked by a crocodile and dragged away.
A swift operation was conducted to locate the boy and his body was later found in another location along the banks of Mahanadi river.