Post News Network
Kendrapara, May 20: In a shocking incident of man-animal conflict in this district, a 15-year-old boy fell prey to a crocodile which pounced on him while he was bathing in Kharasrota river Wednesday.
According to forest officials, Manoranjan Sahu alias Daru, son of Manguli Sahu of Nalapahi village under Aul police limits, was bathing in the river in afternoon when the crocodile grabbed him and took him to the middle of the river. The locals bathing on the river ghat attempted to rescue him in a mechanised boat, but failed. Till the time this report was filed, body of the boy was yet to be retrieved, though five mechanised boats were engaged in search operation. Manoranjan was a student of Class X and son of a rickshaw puller.
The crocodile attack and consequent loss of human lives are most frequently recorded during the breeding season of the reptiles. It has become a regular feature in crocodile-infested rivers of the district. In this period, the crocodiles turn restive. Disturbed over human interference into their habitat, they often run amok. Locals have demanded fencing of bathing ghats in the crocodile-infested rivers of in past from the forest department. But sans fencing, several people have lost their lives.
Some of the bathing ghats where fencing was done earlier are now in dilapidated conditions. Though forest personnel have been providing Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the deceased’s keen but most of the crocodile victim’s family fail to get the amount as they fail to furnish required post-mortem reports of the deceaseds’ before the forest department.
Forest officials have attempted to create awareness through public address system among locals living along crocodile-infested rivers to remain alert, said officials. “To check crocodile attack on riverside villagers, the forest department is also set to construct fences in crocodile-infested river ghats,” said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, DFO., Rajnagar Mangrove (forest) and Wildlife Division.
