Crocodile kills 14-year-old boy in Bahraich; 3rd such attack in 2 weeks

Bahraich (UP), Aug 29 (PTI) A 14-year-old boy died in a crocodile attack near the Gerua River here, forest officials said on Friday. This was the third such attack on humans in the area in the past two weeks.

According to locals, the incident took place on Wednesday evening in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Division.

The boy, Anil, was collecting fodder with his mother near their turmeric field in Amba village when he was attacked.

"A crocodile suddenly emerged from the river, grabbed the boy by his neck and dragged him into the water. Villagers raised an alarm, but it disappeared with him," a local said.

An extensive search operation was mounted with motorboats and divers.

"Despite continuous efforts, we could not locate him till Friday afternoon. Around 3 pm today, his body was spotted floating in the river and was retrieved with the help of divers," Katarniaghat divisional forest officer Suraj told PTI Bhasha.

"We will be able to draw a conclusion only after the post-mortem report," Suraj added.

On August 17, a seven-foot crocodile had attacked a five-year-old boy in Khairighat area.

The child's mother, Maya, managed to rescue him by striking the reptile with an iron rod.

The following day, a 45-year-old man was seriously injured after being bitten by a crocodile while crossing a canal in the Motiapur area.

A forest department source said recent heavy rainfall has led to a rise in water levels in canals and ponds, pushing crocodiles closer to human habitations.

"Rescue teams are actively searching for the crocodiles involved, and people are being advised to stay away from water bodies," the official said.

Bahraich has seen repeated instances of human-wildlife conflict involving wolves, leopards and elephants in recent past. PTI COR KIS VN VN