Half-eaten body of woman found a day after croc attack

Kendrapada: The half-eaten body of a 37-year-old woman replete with crocodile bites was found in the Gobari river near Suniti village near Bhitarkanika National Park on Saturday.

The victim, Laxmi Dalei, wife of Babula Dalei of the village, was dragged away by a crocodile while catching fish in the river on Friday.Following the incident, locals, forest guards, and fire brigade personnel launched a search operation and discovered her mutilated remains on the river bank. “Laxmi is survived by three minor daughters and her husband a daily wager,” said Santanu Kumar Dalei, forest range officer of Mahakalapada forest range.Dalei said her family would be provided compensation of Rs 10 lakh after inquiry. This marks the 13th fatal crocodile attack near Bhitarkanika in two years and the 29th human death in the past 40 months.Bhitarkanika’s mangrove forests and swamps are home to about 1,826 saltwater crocodiles, as per this year’s reptile census. “We do not think crocodiles are a risk to public safety if people keep out of the waters but if people enter the waters their safety cannot be guaranteed,” Dalei said.