6-feet-long crocodile rescued from Odisha village, released into wild

A six-feet-long female saltwater crocodile which had earlier strayed into a pond in a village in close proximity to Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district was rescued and released into the wild on Sunday, official sources informed.

Also Read: ‘Crocodile drags Odisha woman into river’ in front of helpless daughter

The reptile had been roaming in Endalapur village for more than two weeks. Some locals informed the forest officials, who later rescued it from the pond.

“Forest personnel managed to net and rope it after a two-hour-long exercise. Later it was released in the wild. The reptile did not cause any harm either to humans or domesticated animals,” the range officer of the national park, Chittaranjan Beura, expressed.

Crocodiles stray in search of food into human habitats. They often leave the places for their wild habitat within a few days as per their natural instinct, Beura added.

Worth mentioning, a crocodile had allegedly attacked a woman and dragged the victim into the river on June 16 in front of her daughter at Paniajora of Koladhia panchayat under Aul police limits of Kendrapara district.

The incident had shocked locals, as frantic rescue and search operations by villagers and fire services personnel yielded no result. The woman was not traced.

The victim woman identified as Kajal Mohanty from Tanladiha village, had been washing clothes near the riverbank when the crocodile had emerged from the water and suddenly pulled her in. Her 13-year-old daughter, who was standing nearby, witnessed the shocking scene and had rushed to alert nearby villagers and family members to rescue the woman.

Despite prompt efforts by villagers to locate Kajal, there was no trace of her.