Bhubaneswar: A 60-year-old crab catcher fought off a saltwater crocodile after the reptile caught hold of his legs while he was catching mud crabs in a creek in Bhitarkanika National Park on Monday.
The man, identified as Madan Behera of Bankula village under the Dangamal forest range, sustained injuries to his legs in the attack and is undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital in Kendrapada.
According to reports, Behera was catching mud crabs in the creek when the crocodile caught hold of his legs and began dragging him into the water.
“I started shouting and attacked the reptile’s eyes with my fingers. As a result, the crocodile loosened its grip,” Behera said while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
A forest official, who heard Behera’s cries for help, rushed to the spot and tried to drive the crocodile away with a stick. The intervention helped Behera escape from the reptile’s grip.
Following the incident, Bhitarkanika Forest Range Officer Chitrasen Jena visited the village and took stock of the situation.
