People normally do not listen to a forest guard or a watcher cautioning visitors not to enter water bodies.

But Mudit Dandwate and his female friend, and possibly picnickers at large, have now learnt a lesson to be careful and pay heed to advice. The couple will never forget the four alert staffers for their courage and timely help.

Ravikeerthi K N, range forest officer, Anekal wildlife range, Bannerghatta wildlife division, along with three watchers Lakshmayya, Sahakayya, Prakash and guard Nagaraj saved Mudit from the crocodile. The team was perambulating the area, when they heard someone scream.

Close shave

“We rushed there and found two people in the water. We saw Mudit trying to save himself from the crocodile. He pushed the animal and we pulled him out of the water, before the crocodile could charge at him again. We held him and his friend and ran as fast as we could, to escape the animal,” Ravikeerthi said.

“The crocodile must have been resting on the lake bed. When it smelt food and saw some movement, it jumped for it. Mudit and his friend had two dogs with them. The crocodile may have jumped for the canines and accidentally caught hold of the man. The animal just got hold of his hand and shook it. Had it caught hold of Mudit’s leg or hip, the man would not have survived. The crocodile opened its jaw to get a tighter grip and pull him down, when Mudit started running and we pulled him away,” he said.

Warnings ignored

The lake is spread across two acres and is three to nine metres deep. Crocodiles are sighted even on the fringes of the lake. “We are constantly telling people to be careful. But they do not listen. There is a huge rush of visitors to the temple and the lake during weekends and holidays. Fencing has been done at dangerous spots, but people jump over them,” Ravikeerthi said.