In a shocking incident, a man was killed in a crocodile attack at Dakhinabheda village under Kendrapara’s Rajnagar block on Friday.
The deceased has been identified as Nimain Malik.
As per reports, Malik and his wife were irrigating their farmland on Friday morning on the banks of Hansua river when a crocodile suddenly appeared from nowhere and attacked him. Despite resistance from his wife, the crocodile pulled Malik inside the river.
After getting information about the incident, the officials of Forest department and police reached the spot and launched a search operation. Later, his mutilated body was recovered.
It is pertinent to mention here that man-crocodile conflict is nothing new for the residents in the districts of Kendrapara, Jajpur, and Jagatsinghpur.
An elderly man had gone missing in Brahmani River at Pattamundai in Kendrapara district after he was attacked and dragged into the river by a crocodile in July 2023.
On June 29 last year, one elderly man, identified as Gangadhara Tarai of Ghagaradiha village, died in a crocodile attack.
One Ashutosh Acharya, a Class 5 student of Nimpur village under Pattamundai block in Kendrapara district, was allegedly dragged and killed by a crocodile on June 14, 2023.
On June 21 last year, a woman, identified as Sita Das from Hatiagadi village under Rajnagar block in the district fell victim to a similar attack in the district.
Notably, in the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, the population of crocodiles has increased by 18. Last year, 1,793 crocodiles were found in Bhitarkanika. This year, their number has gone up to 1,811