Angul: In a shocking incident, a 47-year-old man lost his hand after being attacked by a crocodile in a stream near Jhampuli village, under Raniakata Panchayat of Kishorenagar block in Angul district on Thursday.
The victim, identified as Ranjit Pradhan, sustained grievous injuries while trying to save a goat from the crocodile’s jaws.
According to reports, Ranjit — originally a resident of Nuapada village under Rairakhol police station in Sambalpur district — had settled in Jhampuli after marrying the daughter of Kulamani Sahu of the same village. On Thursday morning, while grazing his goats near a nearby stream, one of the goats entered the water to drink and was caught by a crocodile.
In a desperate attempt to rescue the animal, Ranjit jumped into the water. The crocodile released the goat but turned on Ranjit, biting his left hand and dragging him into the water. After a fierce struggle, he managed to free himself, but not before the crocodile severed his hand from the elbow. Severely injured and bleeding, Ranjit somehow reached the bank and was rushed to safety by locals.
He was initially taken to the Kishorenagar Community Health Centre and later shifted to the Angul District Headquarters Hospital. As his condition worsened, he was referred to SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack for advanced treatment.
The incident has triggered widespread fear in the locality, with villagers urging the Forest Department to capture the crocodile and provide financial assistance for Ranjit’s medical care. Residents have also appealed for preventive measures to avert similar attacks in the future.
