Odisha: Crocodile kills boy near Bhitarkanika

KENDRAPADA: A 16 -year-old boy was killed by a crocodile while he was taking bath along with some locals in the river Kharosotra near the village Parimukundapur under Rajkanika police station and around the Bhitarkanika National Park of Kendrapada district on Sunday . This was the fifth fatal crocodile attack near Bhitarkanika in a year and second deadly reptile attack within a month.
“The incident happened around 11.30 AM when Rudra Behera (16) son of Bholanath Behera of Parimukundapur village was dragged away by the crocodile.Some villagers raised the alarm and tried to save him . But the reptile killed him, “ , said Ajaya Behea, a villager.
"The crocodile suddenly exploded out of the knee-length water, clamping its vice-like jaws and dragged him into the water" , said Parikhita Sahoo another eyewitness. Rudra was reading in class 10th of the village high school.
Rudra is the latest victim in a growing number of crocodile attacks in the riverside villages adjoining the national park. Many locals, forest guards and fire brigade personnel launched a search on Sunday morning. But they have yet to retrieve the body. On 7th July this year Ranjan Mohanty (42) a milkman was killed by an estuarine crocodile while he was standing near the bank of the crocodile infested Bausagali river Ghat to cross the river to reach the nearby market at Gupti to supply milk. Chandan De (30) of Nilakanthapur under Pattamundai police station was killed by a crocodile on 26th August 2019. Subash Baral (45) of village Sahupada under Aul police station was also killed by a crocodile while he was taking bath in the river Bramahani and Sanjay Pradhan (52) of Mandapada village under Pattamundai police station was killed on 2nd July 2019 by a crocodile .
Bhitarkanika , a vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp is the home of around 1757 salt water crocodiles as per this year's reptile census . In the recent months , many crocodiles strayed out of the park areas and entered in the rivers, creeks and other water bodies near the park areas for laying eggs on near the river banks and bushes during the nesting and breeding season of the crocodiles ", said Bikash Ranjan Dash the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the park.
“We also warned riverside villagers not to enter into the rivers, creeks and other water bodies of Bhitarkanika and its nearby areas as the areas are infested with many ferocious estuarine crocodiles. The forest officials also erected barricades in about 30 ponds and river Ghats in the park and its nearby areas to prevent the crocodiles from attacking human being", added the forest officer.
"The forest department will provide compensation amount of four lakh rupees to the family members of the crocodile victim after due inquiry", added the forest officer .
The exact and correct figures on crocodile attacks are unavailable in the forest department. But locals believe that at least six to ten persons are killed or maimed by crocodiles each year. "Most of the cases are not reported; people just go missing," said Jagabandhu Nayak of Rajnagar , one of the areas hit hardest by crocodile attacks.