KENDRAPARA: In yet another case of man-animal conflict, a 42-year-old woman from Kharinashi village near Bhitarkanika national park was killed by a crocodile while she was fishing in a creek near the village on Saturday evening. The incident took place at around 5.30 pm when Kaushalya Mandal was fishing along with four other women. The crocodile suddenly appeared and dragged her away into the water body.
“The other women raised an alarm and tried to save her but to no avail. Later, we found Kaushalya’s half-eaten body floating in the creek,” said Tusharkanta Sardar, a local. This is the sixth death in crocodile attack reported in and around Bhitarkanika within the last 10 months.In a similar incident in October, a 17-year-old woman of Rangani village was killed by a crocodile. Another man Nagamani Mallick (62) of Kiarabanka village within the park also died after being attacked by a crocodile in July last year.
“We warn riverside villagers not to enter the rivers, creeks and other water bodies of Bhitarkanika and its nearby areas as they are infested with crocodiles. Our officials have also barricaded around 30 ponds and river ghats in the park and its vicinity to prevent locals from getting attacked by these reptiles,” said divisional forest officer Gopinath Sudarshan Yadav adding, the deceased’s family will be paid compensation of `4 lakh after due inquiry.