KENDRAPARA: A 34-year-old man was mauled to death by a saltwater crocodile in Hansua river while his brother watched in horror near Bhitarkanika National Park in Rajnagar block here on Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as Nimai Mallick, was a farmer of Dakhinabheda village under Chandibausamula panchayat. This was the 23rd fatal crocodile attack in the riverside villages near Bhitarkanika in as many months.
Sources said the incident took place at around 8.30 am. Nimai was collecting water from Hansua in a bucket to irrigate his vegetable field near the riverbank. All of a sudden, a crocodile exploded out of the knee-deep water and mauled the farmer with its jaws. Nimai’s elder brother Nirmal, who was standing nearby, screamed in horror and tried to save him. However, the reptile dragged Nimai underwater.
On hearing Nirmal’s screams, villagers rushed to the spot. On being informed, fire services personnel and forest guards also reached the spot. After a few hours, a portion of Nimai’s half-eaten body was recovered from the river. Nimai is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son.
Villagers alleged that fatal crocodile attacks have peaked in the area as the population of the reptiles has reached a saturation point in Bhitarkanika. Notably on February 24, the Forest department stopped the artificial hatching and rearing of crocodiles in Bhitarkanika after the reptile population skyrocketed from a mere 96 in 1974 to 1,811 in 2024.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav said the Forest department will provide Rs 6 lakh compensation to the family of the crocodile attack victim after proper inquiry.
Yadav further said the department has erected barricades at around 120 river ghats near Bhitarkanika in Aul, Rajnagar, Rajkanika and Pattamundai blocks to prevent the crocodiles from attacking humans. “Locals have been advised to take bath within the barricades in the rivers. Using loudspeakers, we also warned the riverside villagers not to venture into water bodies near Bhitarkanika which are home to many saltwater crocodiles,” he added.