Tragedy on the Brahmani: Man Loses Life in Crocodile Attack

An elderly man named Panchanan Das was killed by a crocodile in Odisha's Kendrapara district. His body was recovered from the Brahmani River. This incident highlights the human-wildlife conflict prevalent during the monsoon and winter seasons, especially near Bhitarkanika National Park, home to India's largest saltwater crocodile population.

In a tragic encounter on Tuesday, an 82-year-old man lost his life to a crocodile attack in Malatipatna village of Odisha's Kendrapara district. Panchanan Das, who worked as a cattle grazer, was reportedly dragged into the Brahmani River by the reptile, according to forest officials. His body was subsequently retrieved and sent for a post-mortem examination.

The disturbing incident took place outside the boundaries of Bhitarkanika National Park, which is famous for housing the country's largest population of saltwater crocodiles, with 1826 recorded in its water bodies. Following the incident, forest official Bijoy Kumar Pradhan confirmed that Das's family would be eligible for ex-gratia compensation once the post-mortem results are in.

Human-crocodile conflicts are commonly recorded during monsoon and winter months when estuarine crocodiles are in their nesting period. The tragedy underscores the urgent need for measures to prevent such conflicts and protect both human and wildlife populations.

(With inputs from agencies.)