Crocodile rescued from sugarcane field in Latur; second incident in less than a month

Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic

A crocodile was captured from a sugarcane field in Latur district on Saturday after a three-hour operation, a police official said.

The operation was carried out at Deoni Khurd by a team under Deoni police station assistant inspector Annarao Khodewad, he said.

"The police received information about the crocodile's presence at 11am and managed to rescue it by 2pm. A joint team of police, forest department personnel and local snake rescuers captured the reptile," the official said.

This is the second such incident in the area, he added.

On September 14, a fully grown male crocodile was captured, he said.

Reduced rainfall this season has left large stretches of the Manjara riverbed in the Deoni area dry, forcing reptiles and other wildlife to seek shelter in fields where moisture and cooler conditions are available, the official pointed out.

Sugarcane plantations, in particular, can provide suitable hiding places for such animals, increasing the risk of encounters with farmers, he said.

"Farmers must exercise caution while working in their fields. They must contact the forest department's toll-free helpline or the emergency response number for assistance in case of an emergency," API Khodewad said.

Snake rescuer Bhimashankar Gadwe said the movement of wild animals, including tigers, leopards, hyenas, aggressive wolves, crocodiles and pythons, had increased in several areas under the Dharashiv forest division, including Tuljapur, Yedshi, Umarga, Latur, Deoni, Udgir, Kasarshirshi, Shahajani, Aurad, Renapur and Jalkot.

Latur forest officer Dhananjay Pote said the forest department would provide specialised training to forest officers, staff and authorised snake rescuers to safely capture potentially dangerous animals, including tigers, leopards and crocodiles.