Bijnor: Panic gripped the residents of Bijnor’s Jeetpur village on Saturday evening after a crocodile entered the village. Forest department officials, however, reached the spot, caught the reptile and released it into the Ganga. The village is around 4 km from the main stream of the river.Residents said the crocodile entered the village and was spotted creeping down the street.According to the people living in a dozen villages dotting the Ganga banks, it is not uncommon for crocodiles to enter the villages, Arvind Kumar, a resident of Harchandpur village, said, “The crocodiles come of the river to sun themselves on the banks and sometimes, chasing a prey such as a rabbit or boar, move away from the river, enter villages and later, live in local ponds, causing panic among locals.”Some months ago, a crocodile had entered a house at Saray Alam village. Earlier, four crocodiles were spotted in a pond located at Harchandpur village and Nangal area. They live there because they get sufficient food in the form of garbage, stray dogs and cats, fish and animal carcass. .Asked about the appearance of a crocodile here, Najibabad’s divisional forest officer Akhilesh Mishra said, “These villages are located close to the Ganga. Besides, Gang canal also passes through the area. During winter, crocodiles come out of the water and lie on the dry land. Sometimes they enter sugarcane fields chasing small prey and do not return to the river. However, our staff is keeping a close tab on them. They are released into the Ganga.”

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