Chitrakonda: A minor boy was mauled to death by a crocodile in Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri district Saturday.
The boy had gone missing since 11am Saturday after he went out to Neela rivulet to have a bath. His mutilated body was found floating in the river Sunday morning.
The deceased has been identified as ten-year-old Kailash, son of Arjun Majhi of Jala Sahi under Chitrakonda panchayat.
On being informed, Chitrakonda inspector-in-charge Jugal Sabar along with a team reached the spot. Besides, Chitrakonda forester Mrutyanjay Sethi also arrived at the spot and after investigation, he confirmed it that the boy died owing to crocodile attack.
Registering a case, the police sent the body to a nearby government hospital for postmortem.
According to his family, they were unable to find Kailash anywhere even though they searched for him all through the day Saturday after he did not return.
The grief-stricken family members went to the rivulet Sunday 5am to resume their search and saw the mutilated body floating in water. Neighbours doubted the boy could have been killed by a crocodile that was earlier spotted in the rivulet.
Villagers here are in a state of panic after the news broke. This is said to be a first of its kind incident in the area.
PNN