Kendrapara: A sexagenarian died after being dragged into the Brahmani river by a crocodile in front of his son in the Rajanagar area of Kendrapara on Thursday.
The deceased person has been identified as Abhaya Rout of Rajpur under Rajnagar block in Kendrapara district.
According to sources, when Rout stepped into the water on the river bank to clean his utensils, a giant crocodile pounced on his leg and dragged him into the middle of the river.
His son, Anil Rout, who was standing near him, screamed for help and made an attempt to save his father by attacking the crocodile with a bamboo stick but in vain, sources added.
On being informed, Forest officials and Fire brigade personnel reached the spot and launched a search and rescue operation, but the body was yet to be retrieved from river water till the last report came in.
As per reports, as many as six persons have lost their lives in crocodile attacks in the last two months in the district.
On 27th July, A 55-year-old man was dragged by a Crocodile into the Brahmani River near Kulasahi under Penthapala Panchayat within Pattamundai Block.
On 29th June, an elderly man was dragged into the river near Taradipal Ghagaradia village in Pattamundai.
Similarly, on June 22, a woman was dragged by a crocodile while she was cleaning utensils at a canal at Hatiagadi village in Rajnagar of Kendrapara.
On the first day of the Raja festival on 14th June, a crocodile dragged a boy into the river in front of his mother.
Resentment is brewing among the people in the region as there have been frequent incidents of crocodile attacks, but no remedial action has been taken by the district administration.
The Bhitarkanika National Park in Rajanagar and the adjoining Mahanadi deltaic region are home to 1,793 saltwater crocodiles.
