Woman dies in crocodile attack in Bhitarkanika national park

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Kendrapara (Odisha): A 40-year-old fisherwoman was killed allegedly in a crocodile attack inside the Bhitarkanika national park here, officials said Monday.

An adult crocodile pounced on Jyotirmayee Jena, a fisherwoman in Kathua creek in Mahinsadiha forest block of the park yesterday afternoon while the victim was illegally fishing in waters, prohibited for the activity, they said.

The forest personnel later fished out her badly-maimed body, officials said today.

The victim's family was not legally entitled to get ex-gratia compensation, the officials said.

However, the forest department was considering to compensate the bereaved family purely on humanitarian consideration, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.

On May 20, tragedy had struck Nalapari village lying on the fringes of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary as 14-year-old Manoranjan Sahu, son of a daily-wage earner, had died following a crocodile attack.

The victims were mostly trespassing into the national park water bodies for fishing or collecting firewood and falling prey to crocodiles, officials said.