A crocodile wandered into Rustam Nagar in Aligarh’s Dadon area, where villagers fearlessly touched and lifted it before police and forest officials arrived to capture the reptile.
Residents of Rustam Nagar in Aligarh’s Dadon area were stunned on Wednesday morning when a crocodile emerged from nearby bushes and entered the village.
Instead of panicking, several villagers were seen interacting with the reptile in a risky manner. Some touched it, while one man even lifted the crocodile with his hands. Another opened its mouth to show others, treating the dangerous animal as if it were harmless.
Rescue Operation By Police And Forest Team
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when the crocodile moved from Hamidpur Babrotiya village into Rustam Nagar. Villagers quickly gathered, and videos showed them surrounding the reptile and playing with it.
Soon after, 112 police personnel reached the spot and informed the forest department. A team led by section officer Ankit Kumar, along with Ramavatar Yadav and Devendra Kumar, arrived and secured the crocodile.
Local villagers including Satyaprakash, Bablu, Raju, Pankaj, Vivek Singh, Rajendra Singh and Sonu Kumar assisted in the capture.
Cause Of Crocodile’s Entry
Residents believe waterlogging in the area forced the crocodile out of the bushes and into the village. Being close to the Ganga’s floodplain, crocodile movement is not uncommon in this region.
Social worker Bunty Yadav said crocodiles frequently enter villages near the river, creating danger for school-going children and residents. He urged authorities to strengthen monitoring and safety measures along the Ganga belt.
The crocodile was later taken into custody by the forest department, bringing relief to villagers who had initially treated the situation casually despite the risks.