VADODARA: When the sun sets, the security ring around Vadodara Central Jail becomes so tight that no outsider can venture near it without permission. But on Thursday night, a guest stealthily crawled well past the jail’s high walls and security ring.
Had it not been spotted in time, the four-foot-long
crocodile could have been knocking at the iron gate of the jail’s heavily guarded barrack entrance. Someone informed jail authorities after spotting it and the forest department’s control room was alerted at around 1.15am.
Vishwamitri home to nearly 200 crocs
We reached at 1.30 am and saw the crocodile resting barely 25 feet away from the jail barracks’ gate. Rescuing it was a little difficult as the residential quarters were just a few feet away from the spot where it was resting. We couldn’t have afforded to let it slip away,” said Jignesh Parmar, member of the forest department’s rescue team.
After about 30 minutes, the team rescued the reptile and released it safely in a water body.
When asked how the crocodile slipped inside the highly guarded jail, Parmar said that chances are strong that it crawled via the jail’s storm water drain which has an outlet into the river. Such drains are made to ensure that rain water flows directly into the river that is located right behind the jail.
Several crocodiles are seen resting on the riverbank behind the jail premises.
Also, not many people venture in the area, especially during nights, making it easier for the reptiles to crawl up and move around without being noticed.
The Vishwamitri is home to nearly 200 crocodiles, many of which are spotted on the stretch between Fatehgunj and
Sayajigunj.
The forest officials also rescued another six-foot long crocodile that had ventured out of the river and crawled up to Dev Darshan Apartment in Karelibaug on Friday.
Many crocodiles are spotted on the stretch between Fatehgunj and Sayajigunj
