Watch | Mugger roams free on roads of Maharashtra's Chiplun

Many onlookers also shot videos of the crocodile and shared it on social media. The incident happened Sunday night, a local said.

Mumbai: People in the hustling-bustling town of Chiplun in the Ratnagiri district of coastal Konkan region were in for a surprise when they saw a Mugger crocodile taking a stroll on the roads in the night.

Photos and video of the huge crocodile, around eight-feet long wandering around the coastal city and strolling past vehicles has gone viral across social media platforms - X and Instagram.

The crocodile seems to have come out of the nearby Shiva river, which is home to many crocodiles.

In the past also crocodiles have been seen on roads of Chiplun during the monsoon.

On Sunday night, the crocodile was seen on the road for some time and later vanished.

Some of the vehicles stopped to give the reptile the right of space.

The video was recorded by an autorickshaw driver, according to reports reaching here.

The crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), also known as Mugger and Marsh crocodile, is found in freshwater habitats - like marshes, lakes, rivers and ponds - in the Indian sub-continent.

It is one of three crocodilian species in India, other than saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).

The Maldoli creek off Chiplun and the Vashishti River is known for Mugger crocodiles. Some of the neighbouring villages also conduct crocodile safaris.

The Ratnagiri district has been experiencing heavy rainfall.