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New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Woman killed in crocodile attack in Odisha's Kendrapara
KENDRAPARA: A 45-year-old woman was killed after being reportedly attacked by a saltwater crocodile in Bhitarkanika National Park here on Monday. The incident took place at Tanladia village under Rajnagar forest range within the park. The woman, Kajal Mohanty, was taking bath in Kharasrota river when she was attacked by the crocodile. Bharati Mohanty, a villager, said at around 7.30 am, Kajal was bathing at the river ghat when the crocodile dragged her away in presence of other women. The women raised an alarm and tried to save her, but in vain. Range officer of the park Chitaranjan Beura said on being informed, forest personnel rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. In the afternoon, the woman's half-eaten body was retrieved from the river. The Forest department will provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the victim's family after due inquiry, he said. Notably, 11 people have been killed in crocodile attacks in villages around Bhitarkanika in the last 22 months. Beura said, 'We have erected barricades around 120 river ghats around the park to prevent crocodiles from attacking human beings. We have advised riverside villagers to take bath within the barricades in the rivers.'
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
Woman killed in crocodile attack near Bhitarkanika
Kendrapada: A 45-year-old woman was killed in an attack by a saltwater crocodile near Bhitarkanika National Park on Monday, marking the 11th such fatality in around 2 years. Kajal Mohanty was bathing in the Kharasrota river at Tanladia village around 7:30 am when the crocodile emerged suddenly from knee-deep water and dragged her deeper, despite attempts by other villagers to save her, according to eyewitnesses. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Women present at the river ghat raised the alarm, but the reptile was too quick," said Bharati Mohanty, a villager. Forest officials later recovered her partially eaten body during a search operation. The incident highlights the escalating human-crocodile conflict in the region, with 27 deaths reported in the past 38 months. Bhitarkanika, home to 1,826 saltwater crocodiles according to recent census data, has seen increasing encounters between locals and reptiles. Chitaranjan Beura, forest range officer, told reporters that preventive measures have been implemented, including the installation of protective barricades at 120 river ghats across Aul, Mahakalapada, Rajkanika and Pattamundai blocks. "We've intensified our awareness campaign through posters, pamphlets and public announcements, urging residents to use only barricaded areas for river activities," he said. The forest department has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's family, pending investigation. Local farmer leader Umesh Chandra Singh said crocodiles are frequently spotted in villages across Kendrapada and Bhadrak districts, well beyond Bhitarkanika's boundaries, causing concern among riverside communities.
