Woman missing after crocodile drags her away in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A woman reportedly went missing after she was dragged away by a crocodile in Rajnagar area of Odisha’s Kendrapara district today.

The incident took place when Sita Das (42), wife of Bailochan Das, was cleaning utensils in a canal at Hatiagadi village under Chandibaunsamula panchayat under Rajnagar block in Kendrapara in the afternoon, sources said.

On being informed, Fire Brigade personnel along with the villagers launched an operation to trace the woman, sources added.

The locals, meanwhile, staged a road blockade blaming the callousness of Forest department for the incident.

A 10-year-old boy was allegedly killed by a crocodile at Nimapur village under Pattamundai block in Kendrapara on June 14.

The crocodile reportedly attacked Ashutosh Acharya, a Class V student, when he was taking bath in Brahmani river on the outskirts of Bhitarkanika National Park, sources said.

The half-eaten body of the boy was later recovered from the river by the villagers.

Notably, Bhitarkanika National Park is well-known for its saltwater crocodile population. The park is also famous for mangrove forests.

“Several people from nearby villages of Bhitarkanika National Park have lost their lives in crocodile attack in last few years. However, the Forest department and the district administration are yet to introduce any concrete measures to save the villagers from crocodile attack,” said a local.