Woman injured in crocodile attack

Kendrapara: A 40-year-old woman was grievously injured today after she was attacked by a crocodile in a creek near Chandiapalli village under Mahakalpada police station jurisdiction in Odisha's Kendrapara district.

The mishap took place when Sanjukta Sethy was engaged in fishing in the crocodile-infested water body. The crocodile, after attacking the woman, was trying to drag the victim into the water, forest officials said.

A group of fishermen who were there at the bathing ghat raised an alarm and rescued the woman.

The victim has sustained multiple injuries and has been admitted in the government-run Mahakalpada Community Health Centre. She is out of danger, hospital officials said.

Areas close to Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary are presently encountering man-croc conflict as breeding season of the reptiles is in full swing.

Human interference in their habitation corridors turns them violent. The reptiles are found showing aggressive behavioural instinct during the nesting season and attack intruding humans, said forest officials.

The latest croc attack occurred outside the national park limits. State forest department would bear the cost of treatment of the woman injured following croc attack, officials said.

Besides the department would also award compensation sum to the injured person s family as per revised rules, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.