Raichur: A large crocodile that had strayed into the lake at D Rampur village in the taluk from River Krishna was captured by villagers on Thursday and handed over to the forest department.
The crocodile had been preying on sheep and pigs that went to the lake to drink water. Though the villagers had requested the officials of Raichur forest division to catch the reptile, the officials didn’t bother to respond.
Concerned that the crocodile, which had been preying on livestock, would attack humans, the youth of the village devised a plan to capture the reptile. They warned the villagers not to go near the lake or to bring their livestock near the water body for two days. On Thursday, the youth caught the crocodile with the help of a fishing net.
Subsequently, the forest department staff visited the village and took the crocodile into their custody. Later, they released the reptile into River Krishna River, a short distance from the village.
The residents of the village claimed that there were still two more crocodiles in the lake. They have requested the forest department officials to capture the reptiles and release them into the river to ensure the safety of people and livestock.