Elderly man’s unusual interaction with Crocodile near Veraval goes viral

Gir Somnath: A video is circulating on social media in which an elderly man near Veraval, accompanied by his family, interacts with a crocodile calling it with the name ‘Sheetal’ and offering it Gathiya as food. Later, he even places his hand on the crocodile’s head while uttering “Jai Khodiyar Ma.”

The waterfall near the Khodiyar temple, known as Gagadia Ghuno, is located near Savani village close to Veraval in Gir Somnath. Within its waters resides a crocodile, and a person named Jiva Bhagat engages with this crocodile, addressing it as “Sheetal.” Despite the crocodile being far away in the deep waters, as soon as Jiva Bhagat calls out “Sheetal…Sheetal,” the crocodile approaches him. Jiva Bhagat then retrieves Gathiya from a pot to feed the crocodile. He proceeds to hold some Gathiya in his hand and offers them to the crocodile in the water, a scene clearly depicted in the video as the crocodile consumes the Gathiya.

The video displays Jiva Bhagat placing his hand on the crocodile’s head three times while saying “Jai Mataji.” Following this interaction, the crocodile retreats into the deep water. This footage has gained traction on social media platforms.

It’s noteworthy that crocodiles are Schedule-I protected animals, and feeding them in such a manner is considered an offense. Central Gujarat’s Vadodara city is home to a substantial population of over 300 crocodiles inhabiting the Vishwamitri river. Recently, a crocodile rescue center was inaugurated at Halol by the Chief Minister. DeshGujarat