BERHAMPUR: Tikarapada village under Digapahandi block in Ganjam district is in shock following the death of a child in a crocodile attack.
Sources said, the deceased Subhransu Gauda (11) along with four other friends had gone to the creek in Ghodahada river near his village for bath on Monday evening. All of a sudden, a crocodile surfaced and dragged Subhransu into the water. Panicked, his friends raised an alarm.
Soon, locals on boats tried to save the kid and threw fishnets to trap the crocodile. The reptile left the spot leaving the boy in a bad state, said a local Arakhit Dakua. “Though we tried our best to rescue the boy, he was dead,” added he.
Tikarpada villagers blamed the Forest department for the fatal incident and demanded adequate compensation to the next of kin of the deceased.
Since the villagers did not allow to carry the boy’s body for post-mortem, on Tuesday, tehsildar and other personnel of K.Nuagaon police reached the spot and assured that compensation will be provided as per the norm. The body was then sent for autopsy. However, a pall of gloom has descended on the village and left the villagers panicked.