Bhubaneswar: A tragic incident unfolded in Gobari river in Kendrapara when a 37-year-old woman was dragged away by a saltwater crocodile while grazing goats on the riverbank. The woman has been identified as Laxmi Dalei of Suniti Benakanda village near Mahakalpada of Kendrapara.
The incident occurred within the Bhitarkanika National Park area, a known habitat of saltwater crocodiles.
Local residents quickly launched a search operation using country boats and informed the fire station, which dispatched personnel to join the efforts. Despite the ongoing search, Laxmi remains untraced.
Notably, the forest department has erected barricades around 120 river ghats to prevent such attacks and is conducting awareness campaigns to educate residents about the risks.
