Woman Missing After Crocodile Attack in Kendrapara

Kendrapara: A 40-year-old woman went missing after being attacked by a crocodile in the Kharasrota River in Odisha’s Kendrapara district on Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred at Koladhia panchayat under Aul block when the woman, identified as Kajal Mohanty, had ventured into the river for ablution. Eyewitnesses said a crocodile suddenly attacked her and dragged her into the water, leaving the local villagers in shock.

Soon after the attack, villagers launched a frantic search operation in an attempt to rescue her, but she could not be located as of the latest reports.

Kendrapara district is home to the Bhitarkanika National Park, which houses nearly 1,800 saltwater crocodiles. Incidents of crocodiles straying into nearby rivers and attacking both humans and livestock have been reported regularly from Rajnagar and surrounding areas.

According to government records, at least 22 people have lost their lives in crocodile attacks in the district between 2019-20 and 2023-24. The latest incident has once again raised concerns about human-wildlife conflict in the region.