Kendrapara: Human-reptile conflicts continued unabated in this district with an elderly man being killed by a crocodile Thursday. The incident was reported from Ghagaradia village under Pattamundai police limits of this district. This is the third fatality in 16 days due to croc attacks. The deceased, identified as Gangadhar Tarai, a resident of Ghagaradia village, had gone for a bath in the Brahmani river when the crocodile attacked him and dragged him into deeper waters. Till the time of writing this copy, his body has not been found, even though Fire Services and police personnel launched a search operation after the matter was reported.
Earlier this month, a student of Class V from Nimpur village was killed (June 14) by a crocodile in front of his mother. The boy had also gone for a bath in the Brahmani river. Later his half-mutilated body was recovered by Fire Services personnel. Then June 21, a woman was killed by a crocodile when she had gone to attend nature’s call close to a pond in Hatiagadi village. Allegations and counter-allegations followed after Tarai’s death with locals blaming the Forest Department officials and the latter stating that warnings are not being heeded to. “The moment, he (Tarai) went into the river, he was attacked by a crocodile. Hearing his screams, I rushed to the river bank. However, I could not do anything as by that time the reptile had dragged him deep inside the river,” informed Pratap Majhi, who was an eyewitness to the horrific incident.