Kendrapara: A man narrowly escaped death after a crocodile attacked him while he was bathing at a riverside ghat in Kendrapara district on Thursday, officials and local residents said.
The victim, identified as Kshamanidhi Das of Balichandrapur village under Rajpur Panchayat in Rajnagar block, was bathing at a ghat constructed by the Forest Department when the reptile suddenly attacked him.
According to eyewitnesses, the crocodile grabbed Das and inflicted multiple injuries on both his legs. He sustained around 40 to 50 injury marks in the attack.
Hearing his cries for help, other people bathing nearby rushed to the spot and used bamboo sticks to beat the crocodile. Their timely intervention helped free Das from the animal’s grip and prevented a possible tragedy.
Locals said the struggle involving Das, the villagers and the crocodile continued for nearly 15 minutes before the reptile retreated.
The injured man was rescued and provided medical attention. His condition was stated to be stable.
Residents claimed the crocodile involved in the attack was approximately 25 feet long. The incident has triggered panic among villagers in the area, which is known for frequent human-crocodile encounters due to its proximity to crocodile habitats.
Forest Department officials are expected to investigate the incident and assess the situation in the area.
