HYDERABAD: A group of fishermen trying to catch fish near the outer ring road at Nanakramguda were taken aback today when instead of a fish, they saw a crocodile in a ditch filled with rain water. As the word spread, several curious residents gathered at the site to have a look at the reptile.According to locals, a huge ditch was dug in a open plot as part of construction of a building. Because of heavy rains and a small canal passing adjacent to the plot, the ditch turned into a pool of water Around noon, the fishermen went to the ditch with fishing rods to try their luck at catching fish. But suddenly a huge crocodile came out of the water. The fishermen escaped unhurt as they were at a distance from the reptile. The panic-stuck locals immediately alerted the police.”We are clueless as to how the crocodile came here. It looks like it might have come along the canal but this is the first time we are seeing it. The locals come here regularly for fishing,” Ramesh, a local said.Officials of Zoo and Forest department swung into action later in the day and made futile attempts to trap the crocodile including dropping meat into the water but the crocodile did not come out. The unusual incident drew thousands of people residing in and around the locality.The officials suspended the trapping operation following sunset and are expected to resume it tomorrow.