KENDRAPADA: A 14-year-old boy had a miraculous escape from the jaws of a crocodile after fighting bravely with the reptile for 10 minutes in a river near Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapada district.
Omprakash Sahoo of Araja village under Pattamundai police station was taking bath in Kani river with three of his friends when a six-feet-long estuarine crocodile caught his legs in its jaws. Other people heard his cries for help and came to his rescue.
"Omprakash was in waist-deep water when the reptile pounced on him. As a result he sustained injuries on both his legs and hands. Omprakash was saved after the reptile loosened its grip as some locals threw stones at the crocodile and he pricked its eyes with his fingers," said Mahadev Sahoo, an eyewitness.
Omprakash was first admitted to the district headquarters hospital at Kendrapada. Later he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack after his condition deteriorated. Doctors said his condition was stable.
This is the third crocodile attack in a month in and around Bhitarkanika. Janaki Jena (54), of Jharapada village within the park, was killed by a crocodile on May 26 when she was washing utensils in the river. A crocodile also killed Shiv Prasad Behera (40) of Nalapai village near Bhitarkanika on May 4 while he was taking bath in the Brahmani river.
Sources said crocodiles are often seen entering riverside villages across Aul, Rajkanika, Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks of Kendrapada district and Chandabali block in Bhadrak district far away from the park's water bodies.
"We have warned riverside villagers several times not to enter the rivers, creeks and other water bodies of Bhitarkanika and its nearby areas as the areas are infested by about 1,700 estuarine crocodiles. The forest department would bear the cost of treatment of the boy injured in the crocodile attack," said J D Pati, divisional forest officer of the park.
