THRISSUR: Sabu who lives on the banks of the Chalakudy river in Athirappilly had the scare of his life when he opened the door after hearing repeated sounds of falling utensils at around 5 am on Wednesday.
As he opened the front door and entered the veranda, Sabu was in for a rude shock as he saw a crocodile resting on the floor just near the entrance. Sabu and his wife used a long pipe to push the reptile out but it charged at him.
Sabu contacted the forest department and soon a team led by Charpa range officer T Ajikumar reached the spot. The team with the help of local residents tried to drive the reptile into the river but in vain. Later they tied up the animal with a rope and released it into the river below the waterfalls at Athirappilly.
"The reptile was around 2 metres long and seems to be around 10 years old. There has been an increase in the sighting of crocodiles in the Chalakudy river in recent years and we have alerted the local residents against bathing in the river. However, there has not been any complaint of crocodile attacks on humans," said Ajikumar.
Many tourists visiting Athirappilly take bath in the river below the waterfalls and the local residents have been warning people against entering the river.