A huge crocodile was today rescued from the campus of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara, which apparently left the safe confines of the nearby Vishwamitri river and was aided by flooded streets.
An official said that the 11-foot mugger crocodile - the species found in Vadodara - was spotted near the Zoology Department of the university.
"We have rescued 10 crocodiles in the last five days. Two have been released and eight are still with us. We will release them when the water level of the river decreases," an official told the news agency ANI.
The river, 17 kilometres of which pass through Vadodara, is reportedly home to some 300 crocodiles.
Earlier last month, as many as 21 crocodiles were rescued in Vadodara. In June, four such reptiles were rescued and released back into the river.
Flood-Like Situation In Vadodara
Vadodara is currently reeling under a flood-like situation due to overflowing rivers after heavy rain. It has been the worst-hit city in Gujarat due to a recent downpour.
The water level of Vishwamitri river, however, has come down from 37 feet to 32 feet this morning but several low-lying areas in the city remain inundated.
The river had crossed the danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning following heavy rain and the release of water from Ajwa dam.
Teams of the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), its state counterpart SDRF along with local administration are engaged in relief and rescue operations in the most affected districts of Vadodara, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Kutch.
