Palani: The sighting of a crocodile in the Shanmughanadhi near Peria Avudayar temple, 4 km from Palani in Dindigul district, has created panic among devotees. A mammoth operation has been running in the last two days to capture the reptile. With heavy rain lashing the Palani hills over the last three days, the Shanmughanadhi has been receiving water from the Palar Porundalar dam. Around noon on Wednesday, devotees visiting the famous hill shrine went to take a holy dip in the river. They were shocked to find a six-foot-long crocodile resting near the shore. “The devotees came running to us in panic and informed about the presence of the crocodile in the river,” said temple officials.
On being convinced of the sighting, the temple authorities immediately alerted the Fire and Rescue Service and district forest officials. When a 20- member team rushed to the spot, they found the crocodile resting on the other shore. “We moved stealthily to catch the reptile, but it jumped into the river on sensing the vibration in the land due to our movements,” K. Ganeshram, Forest Officer, Palani Range told Deccan Chronicle.
Officials are finding it difficult to trace the reptile as a 10-foot deep check dam has been built on the river. Officials with expertise in capturing crocodiles were also brought in from the Amaravathi Sagar Crocodile farm in Tirupur district. “We expect the officials to catch it soon because most devotees take a dip in the Shanmughanadhi before they visit the shrine of Lord Muruga on the Palani hill,” temple officials said.
The official team searched for the crocodile in two thuduppu (oar) on Thursday. “It is difficult to capture a crocodile in the water because it manoeuvres so skilfully,” Ganeshram said. Not being able to catch the crocodile till Thursday evening, officials decided to keep death fish and beef on the shore to attract it out of the water where it is relatively easier to capture it.
