Elderly Man Feared Dragged Away By Crocodile In Odisha River
Incident in Jajpur district triggers concern over rising human-crocodile encounters: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: An elderly man was feared to have been dragged into the Kharasrota River by a crocodile near Barei village under Panikoili police limits in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Friday.
The incident reportedly occurred when Gajendra Majhi, a resident of Barei village, went to the riverbank to relieve himself. The crocodile allegedly pulled him into the water, and his whereabouts remained unknown.
Following the incident, villagers alerted the Jajpur Road forest department and fire services. Efforts to ascertain his whereabouts were awaited.
The incident comes amid reports of crocodile attacks and sightings at several places in Odisha, raising concerns over the safety of people living near rivers and water bodies.
On October 5, a youth, Sudhir Behera of Marada village in Boudh district, survived a crocodile attack in the Mahanadi River. The reptile reportedly dragged him into the water when he went to relieve himself. After struggling with the crocodile for nearly an hour, Behera managed to escape, sustaining serious injuries. He was subsequently admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital in critical condition.
In another incident, villagers of Dakshinapur under Gokarnapur panchayat in Digapahandi block of Ganjam district reported spotting four crocodiles in a village pond on October 6.
Forest department personnel visited the village and initiated an investigation. Villagers suspected that the reptiles had entered the pond from Ghodahada Dam through Canal No. 9 following the release of water. They urged the forest authorities to rescue the crocodiles and relocate them to a safer habitat.
