Brave man confronts crocodile, survives in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika national park

A partially visually impaired man from a riverside village of Odisha’s Kendrapara district displayed exemplary courage to survive from crocodile attack after a minute or two confrontation with the reptile, an official said on Tuesday.

Escaping from the claws of death, the survivor, identified as Pravat Mandal (54) of Arunnagar village under the Mahakalapada forest range, is now on the path of recovery. He has become the talk of the riverside villages after valiantly fighting off a furious salt-water crocodile that attacked him in Ramachandi creek.

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He survived the crocodile attack after putting up a courageous fight against the reptile for a few minutes in the river. His retaliation forced the animal to release its hold, allowing him to escape the situation. Sustaining minor injury in the reptile attack, Mandal is now undergoing treatment at a community health centre at Mahakalpada and is out of danger.

Estuarine crocodiles are straying into water-bodies, creeks, and water-inlets close to the human habitation areas. This period of the year is the nesting season of crocodiles. The crocs used to show aggressive behavioural instinct during this time. This has led to the outbreak of crocodile-man conflict in several areas lying on the close periphery of Bhitarkanika national park, said Assistant Conservator of Forest, Manas Kumar Das.

The department is prioritizing safety of local people. Locals need to remain watchful and vigilant. People could ensure their own safety by keeping safe distance from crocodile-infested water-bodies, added the official.

The Bhitarkanika National Park authorities in Kendrapara have erected bamboo barricade barriers at around 170 bathing ghats in crocodile-infested rivers and water-bodies to ensure the safety of humans. The bathing ghats have been barricaded with bamboo poles to stop the crocs from gaining access into bathing space. It has often been seen in the past that crocs pounce upon the people while they take bath, said the official.

The conflict and consequent loss of human lives are sporadically recorded during the monsoon and winter months, the nesting season of the estuarine crocodiles. The salt-water crocodile population in Bhitarkanika has increased manifold from 96 in 1975 to 1826 as per the latest census of these animals.