Operation to catch the croc continues

Mysore/Mysuru: A huge crocodile, spotted in the Raja Kaluve near Yele Thota on Oct. 15 afternoon which resurfaced again on Oct. 29, causing tension among the public was spotted again at Yele Thota near Ramanuja Road 9th Cross in city.

Though the Forest Department staff made attempts to capture the huge reptile, they were unable to capture it as the crocodile used to escape underwater. It was also spotted basking in sun on the bridge near Yele Thota causing fear and tension among the public especially people living in the surroundings of Yele Thota.

Yesterday, a carcass of a partially devoured calf was found in the water hole at Yela Thota and it is suspected that the crocodile may have killed the calf and dragged it into the water. A few persons said that they saw the crocodile attacking the calf and dragging it into the water and informed the Forest Department officials fearing that the huge reptile may attack people.

The Forest staff, who arrived at the spot with three water pumps, began pumping out the water from the water hole in an effort to capture the crocodile, which had disappeared into the water. The efforts to pump out the water, which began in the afternoon, went on till late in the evening. As the entire water could not be pumped out as drain water kept on flowing into the water hole and as it had become dark, the operation was stopped.

The Forest staff warned the public not to venture near the water hole and a few staff were deployed to observe if the crocodile comes back to eat the calf. Forest officials said that if the MCC drains out the water completely, it would be very helpful for us to capture the reptile. 

Range Forest Officer (RFO) K. Surendra, Deputy RFOs Venkatachala and Sanjeev Patil, two Forest Guards, four Forest Watchers, crocodile keepers from Mysuru Zoo and more than eight members from the MCC’s Abhaya team took part in  the operation. 

The operation to capture the crocodile continued today too. As drain water has again collected in the water hole, the Forest staff have stayed put at the spot and were trying to locate the crocodile, when we went to the press. The public have been urged to inform the Forest officials if they spot the crocodile again.