Crocodile drags minor boy into river in Kendrapara

Kendrapada: In an unfortunate incident, a 14-year-old boy was attacked and dragged into Hansua river by a crocodile in Diapari village of Kendrapada district on Saturday.

The victim, Shrikant Sethi, a class 10 student and son of Vichitra Sethi, was taking a bath in the river when the incident occurred at around 11:25 am.

Following the incident, the officials of Forest Department and the Fire Services swung into action and a massive operation has been launched to trace the boy.

"Two brothers were bathing when one of them was dragged into the river by crocodile. We have launched an operation and so far the boy is yet to be traced," said Rajnagar SDPO, Harekrushna Mallick.

Locals have expressed displeasure as people have been falling victims to crocodile attacks more frequently as no secured boundaries have been set up by the forest department near ghats.

Earlier, a 12-year-old boy from Kendrapara district had shown exemplary courage to save his uncle from the jaws of an estuarine crocodile in a creek inside Bhitarkanika National Park on February 20.