Kendrapara: A 17-year-old girl was apparently killed in an attack by a saltwater crocodile at a riverside village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, officials said Saturday.
Sheela Dalei was grazing goats near a creek in Rangani village when the crocodile pounced on her Friday afternoon. Her mutilated body was later fished out by fire brigade personnel on Saturday, officials said.
This is the fifth human fatality due to crocodile attack in riverside villages on the periphery of Bhitarkanika National Park in the past four months. At least seven others were injured due to attack by saltwater crocodiles during the period, according to official sources.
The deceased’s family will be covered under Rs 4 lakh compensation award as per the government’s scheme to compensate for the death due to protected wild animals.
Lethal assault by the reptiles and consequent retaliatory attack by humans has become a regular feature in this part of the state.
Most often, the mishaps occur when the victims intrude into the animal’s habitat, for illegal fishing, poaching, fuel wood collection and honey collection.
The conflict and consequent loss of human lives are most frequently recorded during the monsoon and winter months, the nesting season of the estuarine crocodiles.
The saltwater crocodile population in Bhitarkanika has increased manifold from 96 in 1975 to 1,784 in 2022.
PTI