Crocodile Spotted Roaming IIT Bombay Campus Road, Stuns Mumbai

A startling sight gripped the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay campus in Powai on Sunday night as a large crocodile was filmed lounging on a lakeside road. The reptile, believed to have wandered from the adjacent Powai Lake, sent ripples of shock through the community in an unusual breach of its typical aquatic habitat.

Pawan Sharma, founder president of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and an honorary wildlife warden, noted that such sightings are rare, as crocodiles—typically Indian marsh crocodiles—prefer to stay in the lake and steer clear of human-populated zones. “This could be a female seeking a nesting site to lay eggs,” Sharma speculated, suggesting a natural instinct might have driven the animal ashore.

Local residents and officials acted swiftly to ensure the crocodile’s safety, monitoring it until it retreated to the lake on its own. The Mumbai Range of the Thane Territorial Wing is now keeping a close watch, urging the public to stay vigilant and avoid areas where crocodiles might appear, while reassuring them not to panic. The incident has sparked both awe and concern on the sprawling campus nestled between Powai and Vihar lakes.