2 arrested for beating 5-foot crocodile to death in Gujarat as video of attack goes viral

The Vadodara Forest Department on Friday arrested two people in Gujarat for killing a five-foot-long crocodile that had recently strayed into a village.

According to Karjan Forest Range officers, two accused– identified as Vitthal Nayak and Bipin Nayak– were arrested based on the viral videos of the incident, in which the two were seen beating the crocodile to death with sticks even as some other men flashed torchlights to help them.

The accused then threw the carcass into the pond in the village.

The department is investigating to ascertain if more accused are involved in the incident that occurred in the Chorbhuj village in Karjan taluka on January 17.

Karjan Range Forest Officer (RFO) Jayesh Rathod told The Indian Express that the two accused were arrested under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for the prohibition of hunting, not declaring possession of (Schedule I) animals, among other sections, and sent to judicial custody in the Karjan sub-jail on Friday.

“The incident occurred on January 17 and was filmed on camera. We learnt about the incident on January 21 and arrested the two men. They were produced in court and sent to the sub-jail as they had admitted to the crime, and we did not need to seek remand,” Rathod said.

The officer added that the crocodile, aged about five years, had emerged from a local pond in the village when the accused assaulted and killed the Schedule-I animal. “We have lodged a First Offence Report under sections that provide for imprisonment between three and seven years,” he said.

Rathod added that just a few days ago, the department had rescued another crocodile from the village. “There are about three crocodiles in the pond in the village… several such crocodiles live in ponds in Karjan. Earlier, we had received a call to rescue a crocodile from the village. This was the second crocodile that strayed into the village. We have recovered the carcass from the pond,” Rathod said.

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express Read More