Crocodile spotted on road in Kota, video goes viral

A crocodile was seen crossing the Commerce College main road late on Tuesday night in Talwandi area here, stopping pedestrians and vehicles in their tracks. Flooding in a rainy brook in Sajidhra area could have brought the crocodile into the city, locals said, adding that such a sight was usual in Kota as it is on the bank of a river.

A crocodile was seen crossing the Commerce College main road late on Tuesday night in Talwandi area here, stopping pedestrians and vehicles in their tracks. Deputy conservator of forest, Kota, Jairam Pandey confirmed his staff was informed Tuesday night about the crocodile but said it disappeared into the drains.

A 40-second video clip of the three and a half-feet crocodile shot by passersby on his mobile shows the reptile crossing the Commerce College near the Sabji Mandi here. Passersby, including those on vehicles, stopped in their tracks as the crocodile crossed the road and vanished from sight. The city being located on the bank of Chambal river, which has a Gharial sanctuary, crocodiles occasionally enter nearby residential areas. Flooding in a rainy brook in Sajidhra area could have brought the crocodile into the city, locals said, adding that such a sight was usual in Kota as it is on the bank of a river. Kota witnesses an average of 50-60 crocodile sightings per year in residential localities, with 57 incidents reported last year in the city, Kota deputy conservator of forest Pandey said. Rescue teams stay on alert mode round the clock and rush to the spot when they receive any reports of crocodile sightings, he added. According to forest officials and wildlife enthusiasts, rivers, brooks and ponds tend to overflow during the monsoon, flushing crocodiles into residential areas. They have been rescued several times in the past, he said, adding that usually baby crocodiles are seen in city areas after floods.

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