Woman dragged into river by crocodile in Odisha’s Jajpur

The disturbing video footage of a furious salt-water crocodile lunging at a 55-year-old woman and dragging her into river water in a village of Odisha’s Jajpur district has gone viral, bringing into the spotlight the ongoing human-croc conflict in innumerable river-side villages of this coastal State.

The croc emerged from nowhere to lunge at Soudamini Mohala, who had gone to the bathing ghat at the Kharasrota river to wash utensils. The victim, a native of Bodua village under the jurisdiction of Binjharpur police station in Jajpur district, fought hard to escape from the claws of the reptile, but in vain.

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Terrified villagers at the bathing ghat watched helplessly as rescuing the screaming woman from the vice-like grip of the croc was a risky proposition. The video footage taken from the mobile phone of one of the villagers went viral on the social media platform, drawing attention to the plight of people from these parts waging a grim battle against the croc menace.

Till the last reports, the victim woman is yet to be rescued, though fire brigades and forest patrol teams are on the job to save her.
The human and crocodile conflict in villages owing to connectivity to the Bhitarkanika river system has become a disturbing feature, with crocodiles on the rampage, killing five to six people every year and injuring many.

Human interference in croc-infested water bodies, including rivers, creeks, and nullahs, is leading to the occurrence of unfortunate mishaps in villages located on the periphery of the 672-square-kilometer Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to 1,826 saltwater crocodiles —the highest in the country.

The residents of Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Kendrapara districts are bearing the brunt of crocodile attacks throughout the year, as the crocodile population is exponentially rising. Though the forest officials estimate the population at 1,826, the actual figure might be on a much higher scale. Residents of river-side villages point out that the rising number of saltwater crocodiles could be one of the reasons for the increase in human attacks by reptiles in the villages around Bhitarkanika.

Wildlife protection is being prioritized while human life has become less precious and dignified. People living around the riverside villages of Bhitarkanika park are being meted out a raw deal in the name of wildlife and forest protection. We are left to fend all alone to fight the might of rampaging crocodiles, according to local villagers.