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Journalism of Courage
On Thursday night, residents of Vadodara were in for a shock when an eight-foot-long crocodile was spotted crawling across Narhari Vishwamitri Bridge Road. The unexpected visitor brought traffic to a halt as curious onlookers pulled over to witness the rare sight, many capturing the moment on their phones.
In videos that have since gone viral, the crocodile is seen pausing in the middle of the road before suddenly lunging toward the crowd, seemingly to scare off the gathering of excited, shouting bystanders. The incident took place near the Commissioner’s Bungalow, close to Narhari Hospital, an area not far from the Vishwamitri River.
Local authorities were quick to respond and managed to rescue the reptile safely, releasing it back into the river, according to an India Today report. The Vishwamitri River, which runs through Vadodara, is known for its crocodile population; nearly 300 of them inhabit its 17-kilometre stretch. Sightings like this tend to spike during the monsoon, when rising water levels push these creatures into residential areas.
Social media users had plenty to say about the unusual encounter. One commented, “Thank god it’s rescued safely before people did something to it.” Another user wrote, “Roads are not safe enough for humans & now this fellow wants to go around.” A third user said, “Govt of Gujarat has established crocodile farming in Vishwamitra river … so during monsoon when the water reaches the brim it’s a normal sight.”
While startling, such incidents aren’t entirely new for locals. Just last year, similar scenes played out after heavy rains caused the river to overflow, sending dozens of crocodiles into the city. As the monsoon intensifies, so does the likelihood of these reptiles venturing beyond their natural habitat, and right into urban life.
