A marsh crocodile was rescued from the well of a construction site at Marol in the Andheri locality of Mumbai.
It is not yet known how it made way to the well in the thickly-populated locality or was released by someone. However, it is suspected that when the Mithi river overflowed during the monsoon – the crocodile would have entered the well.
It was spotted by locals during the weekend, who raised an alarm and got in touch with an animal rescue organization SAARP.
Immediately, SAARP founder-president Santosh Shinde and members Arbaaz Khan, Sheldon D’Souza, Mitesh Solanki and Umesh Sawant mounted a rescue operation, but the crocodile was difficult to manage. On Monday, another rescue was undertaken after which the crocodile was rescued and winched up. The task was mammoth as the water was first pumped out.
The Maharashtra Forest Department was intimated and the crocodile was examined by veterinarian Dr Sunetra Wakade. “It was released back to its natural habitat under supervision of forest officials,” Shinde said.