Press Trust of India
Kendrapara, July 22: A 56-year-old farmer was grievously injured Wednesday as he was attacked by a crocodile in a water-logged agriculture field in Endulapur village under Rajkanika area of this coastal district.
The incident took place when Fakir Chandra Jena was engaged in agriculture work in the field and suddenly the crocodile, which had sneaked into the water-logged field, attacked the man and dragged him to a nearby creek, a forest official said. However, a group of farm labourers who were at the adjoining fields raised an alarm and rescued the man, the official added. The victim has sustained multiple injuries and has been admitted to the district headquarters hospital. His condition was stated to be stable, according to hospital authorities.
As the crocodile attack occurred outside the Bhitarkanika National Park limits, the state forest department would bear the cost of treatment of the man injured in the incident, sources said.
The department would also award compensation as per the revised government rules, said divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.