At 65, Odisha lady fought off a crocodile and lived to inform her story

Express News Service

KENDRAPARA: Sixty-five however preventing match to thwart an eight ft of reptile ferocity. That is what Ahalya Parida is. A day after she hit again at a crocodile attempting to tug her into the river water round Bhitarkanika National Park, Ahalya has lived to inform the story.“I was shocked when the crocodile suddenly appeared from the water and held onto my legs while I was washing utensils at the river ghat,” remembers the native of Chatrabandi village in   Kendrapara district whereas present process therapy within the Community Health Center at Mahakalapada.

She began shouting however as a substitute of ready for any assist, she pricked the eyes of the younger crocodile. Hurt, the reptile loosened its grip permitting her to flee from its jaws, in addition to that of positive loss of life. Ahalya fought bravely to avoid wasting her life however was shifted to a personal hospital in Bhubaneswar for her therapy as her situation was critical. She positive has grow to be speak of the riverside villages for her valiant battle however the incident has despatched shockwaves as 4 individuals have already been killed in crocodile assaults inside three months across the park.

Villagers are cautious as a result of crocodiles swarm the rivers, creeks and water our bodies in Aul, Rajkanika, Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks of Kendrapada district and even in Chandabali block in Bhadrak district away from the principle park. Crocodiles have additionally killed a number of cattle, goats and sheep in these areas. “Crocodiles are a big problem. Nobody can even dare take a bath in the river; not even the animals,” mentioned Arabinda Mandal, former sarpanch of Jamboo panchayat.

Strangely, the precise figures on crocodile assaults are unavailable with the Forest division however locals imagine that at the least six to 10 individuals are killed or maimed by the reptiles every year. “Most cases are not reported, people just go missing,” mentioned Narayan Behera of Dangamal village, one of many worst hit areas by crocodile assaults.

“We have warned riverside villagers not to enter into the rivers, creeks and water bodies of Bhitarkanika. To prevent human-crocodile conflict in the recent breeding season, the Forest department barricaded around 30 river ghats and cautioned villagers not to go beyond the barricaded areas,” mentioned JD Pati, Divisional Forest Officer of Rajnagar Mangrove Division.There are 1768 estuarine crocodiles as per the reptile census report of this 12 months.