Monster crocodile caught in Australia after 10-year search
Canberra, July 10 : Park rangers in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) have caught one of the region's biggest crocodiles after a decade-long hunt.
The male saltwater crocodile measuring 4.71 metres in length and weighing in at 600 kg was trapped by the rangers in the Katherine River, 320 km south of Darwin, on Monday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.
Another 2.37-metre crocodile was also caught in the river on the same day, approximately 60 km downstream of the town of 6,000 people.
Rumours of the monster crocodile have been circulated in the area since its large tail was first spotted near a local boat ramp in 2008.
NT Parks and Wildlife rangers Chris Heydon and John Burke said it was unusual to find a crocodile larger than 4.5 metres in the Katherine River system. "We average a 4.2-metre croc most years, but never this big," Burke told the media on Tuesday.
Traps were deployed in the system two weeks ago after three large crocodiles were observed during aerial surveys earlier in the year.
The two captures brings the total number of saltwater crocodiles caught in the NT in 2018 to 188, seven of which have been in the Katherine River.
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Those rejected by people trying to control Parliament: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the opposition, saying those who were rejected by people 80-90 times were trying to control Parliament by resorting to hooliganism for their own political gains.
Addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, Modi said such handful of people did not succeed in their intentions but people of the country observed their actions and punished them at an appropriate time.
Modi's remarks came days after the BJP-led coalition won the Maharashtra Assembly elections by a landslide, bagging 235 seats and relegating the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a distant 49 seats in the 288-member House.
Earlier, the BJP registered a surprise third consecutive victory in the Haryana polls, trouncing the Congress, which was billed as a pre-poll favourite.
"There should be a healthy debate in the Parliament but, unfortunately, certain individuals are trying to control Parliament for their own political gains, resorting to disruptions and chaos," Modi said.
"Though their tactics ultimately fail, the people watch their behaviour closely and deliver justice when the time comes," he added.
Modi said he had been repeatedly urging opposition colleagues, and some also agreed that Parliament should function smoothly.
"But those who have been continuously rejected by the public ignore the words of their colleagues and disrespect their sentiments and that of democracy," the prime minister said.
The Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to continue till December 20.
