A 56‑year‑old woman was killed in a crocodile attack in the Galia River, a distributary of the Mahanadi, near Kharinasi village under Mahakalapada block in Odisha’s Kendrapada district on Tuesday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Hemalata Das, wife of late Samar Das and a resident of Kharinasi village. According to reports, Hemalata had gone to the agricultural fields around 8 am. She is suspected to have approached the river, possibly to attend nature’s call, when a crocodile attacked and dragged her into deeper waters.
Locals managed to rescue her after a frantic search and rushed her to Ramnagar Hospital. She was later shifted to the Kendrapada District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
The incident has triggered fear among villagers, highlighting the growing human‑wildlife conflict in Kendrapada’s riverine belts. Residents have urged authorities to step up awareness campaigns and preventive measures to protect vulnerable communities living along crocodile‑infested rivers.
