Gujarat: 6-ft-long crocodile sneaks into toilet in Anand

VADODARA/ANAND: A nearly six foot long crocodile entered a semi-pucca toilet in a residence at Kharakuva area of Anand's Sojitra town sending the occupants of the house into a tizzy early on Sunday morning.
And since the reptile decided to occupy the wash room, the residents of the house owned by a resident Udaysinh Bhikhabhai Rathod had no option but to wait for their turn to complete the morning rituals, as the massive crocodile was seen twirling around the Indian style toilet seat, not in any mood to let it go.
Curious villagers gathered in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the crocodile which was suspected to have come out from a nearby pond. The semi-pucca house with loose bricks is located near Khodiyar Mata temple in the area. Interestingly, crocodile is the vehicle of this deity.
Locals said that crocodile venturing openly into the area isn't new for them. Last year too, it had entered into the temple from where it was rescued and released in its natural habitat.
"The Vandevad talav which is the backyard of our area does not have a protection wall. It is known for having a good population of crocodiles. So, at times, crocodiles sneak out from the pond and enter into our village," said Rathod.
Later, a team of forest department from nearby Malataj village reached the spot to rescue the crocodile. Malataj village too has a wetland that is known for its healthy crocodile population. The team kept a cage to capture the crocodile which was pulled inside with the help of rope and captured.
"After we were informed by the locals, we reached the spot to capture the crocodile. We have rescued the crocodile and after checking its condition, it will be released in its natural habitat as per the norms," said a forest department official.
"Villages of Sojitra are known for being heaven for crocodiles. They have a healthy population of crocodiles. So, whenever, we get such calls, we come to rescue the reptiles and they are later released in their natural habitats," the official said.