In a bizarre incident, an aged crocodile struggled to digest a sheep and choked to death.

A few fishermen spotted the listless crocodile on the bank of river Tunga Bhadra at Anegondhi near Gangavati in southern India on June 8.

As the 12-feet, 300 kg reptile refused to budge when they tried to shoo it away, the fishermen called forest department officials for help.

When the forest officials tried to release it back to the water they found that it was ill. By the time they could call a veterinarian doctor, it had passed away.

The officials lifted the massive crocodile from the river bank with the help of a crane and performed an autopsy.

A local forest officer Govindraju said the crocodile had aged and died as it was not able to digest a sheep it had recently caught.