The incident began on July 10 when villagers spotted a crocodile in a pond located near the government school in Shahpur Gurjar village under the Jaitpur Police Station area. The sighting triggered fear across the village, with residents staying awake through the night amid concerns that the reptile could emerge from the pond and enter residential areas after dark.
Villagers immediately informed the Police, the Administration, and the Forest Department about the crocodile. A Forest Department team reached the spot and conducted a search, but the animal could not be located at that time, and the team left the area. However, fear among residents continued as repeated sightings of the crocodile were reported from the pond. Acting on fresh information and growing public concern, the Forest Department returned to the village on July 14 and launched a rescue operation.
Jaitpur Block Development Officer Neeraj Tiwari said the rescue effort had been underway for the past three days. The Administration and the Forest Department worked together to drain the pond to facilitate the operation. A specialized rescue team accompanying the Forest Department installed nets inside the pond, but after failing to capture the crocodile during the initial attempt, the team temporarily withdrew.
According to villagers, the crocodile's presence forced children to stop attending school, and they also avoided playing outside their homes due to safety concerns. During Thursday's rescue operation, the crocodile reportedly attempted to attack members of the rescue team several times. Fortunately, no one was injured. After the reptile was finally captured, it chewed through the cloth used to restrain it. The rescue team then secured it with ropes and, after considerable effort, safely loaded the crocodile into a transport vehicle.
Forest Ranger Rajveer Singh Sengar said the Forest Department team had been stationed near the pond throughout the operation. On Thursday afternoon, the crocodile was spotted again, prompting the team to begin another rescue attempt with the assistance of local villagers. After several hours of strenuous efforts, the Forest Department, supported by villagers, successfully rescued the crocodile from the pond. He said the ropes would be removed before the animal is released into its natural habitat along the Chambal River.
The rescue operation was carried out by Forest Officer Dhirendra Singh, Forest Guard Yogesh Kumar, Kamal Singh, Anuj, and local villagers, whose cooperation played a crucial role in the successful capture. The operation brought relief to Shahpur Gurjar residents, ending nearly a week of fear and restoring a sense of security in the village.
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