KENDRAPARA: A 45-year-old woman was killed after being reportedly attacked by a saltwater crocodile in Bhitarkanika National Park here on Monday.
The incident took place at Tanladia village under Rajnagar forest range within the park. The woman, Kajal Mohanty, was taking bath in Kharasrota river when she was attacked by the crocodile.
Bharati Mohanty, a villager, said at around 7.30 am, Kajal was bathing at the river ghat when the crocodile dragged her away in presence of other women. The women raised an alarm and tried to save her, but in vain.
Range officer of the park Chitaranjan Beura said on being informed, forest personnel rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. In the afternoon, the woman’s half-eaten body was retrieved from the river. The Forest department will provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s family after due inquiry, he said.
Notably, 11 people have been killed in crocodile attacks in villages around Bhitarkanika in the last 22 months. Beura said, “We have erected barricades around 120 river ghats around the park to prevent crocodiles from attacking human beings. We have advised riverside villagers to take bath within the barricades in the rivers.”