On Friday, a giant lizard known as ‘Goh’ in Punjabi, was spotted in a balcony at a residence in Guru Ki Nagri Colony of Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib.

The family and their neighbours were enter in panic state as the reptile was almost three feet long.

Then followed an identity crisis as forest and wildlife personnel were unable to recognise the species.

“It had hidden behind an empty drum. My daughter peeped through the window and said something unusual is roaming outside. She screamed seeing the lizard. It was almost three feet long and quite bulky. We had no idea what to do as we had never seen such a creature before. We called up the local police station, who in turn informed the forest department”, said Harpreet Singh, whose 11-year-old daughter spotted the reptile in their balcony.

The neighbour’s pet dog, Maylo, played a crucial role in confining the reptile inside as the forest department took nearly 40 minutes to send a team.

The lizard was picked by the Chajju Ram, deputy forest ranger from the spot, who claimed that it was a ‘Goh’, a monitor lizard.

According to Chajju Ram, “It was a Goh. It is a big lizard. I do not know its proper name but we released it near Bhakra canal and this lizard is herbivore and doesn’t attack humans”.

On the other hand, Gurbant Singh, range officer, Fatehgarh Sahib, claimed it was 'seeh’ (porcupine) not ‘goh’.

Gurbant said, “This animal defends itself with thorns on its body and covers itself under thorns. Neither does it attack nor does it let humans attack it”.