The children are the most vulnerable as their parents leave for work in the morning, says Mr. Biju, son of the deceased Rajamma. Ever since the crocodiles were released into the reservoir in the early 1980's by the Forest department, over a dozen locals were attacked by muggers and many of them had been handicapped. Over 1200 families residing on the banks of the reservoir are living in panic and constant fear as they never know when the crocodiles will attack them. Locals say that the crocodiles had multiplied manifold over the years. However, the authorities are not in a position to dispute this or to give a correct figure about the crocodile population.
Tourists undertaking boating in the reservoir are also prone to attack from the crocodiles.
The locals, who had been depending on the reservoir for drinking water, bathing and washing, had been demanding barbed bathing ghats. The forest department has now decided to install floating bathing ghats on selected areas on experimental basis. Crocodile palustris more commonly known as mugger or marsh crocodile, which may live up to a century, were released in the reservoir once the crocodile population in the adjacent crocodile farm, established in 1977, multiplied beyond control. The farm was established near the reservoir as part of preserving the species. Hunting crocodiles collectively or destroying crocodile eggs are punishable under Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.