Kendrapada: A man went missing in a river after he was reportedly dragged by a crocodile in Odisha’s Kendrapada district on Friday.
As per reports, the man, identified as Nimai Mallik of Dakhinabheda village under Rajnagar police station, had gone to take bath in Badanai river near his village before going to the temple to offer puja on the occasion of Shivratri. While bathing on the banks of the river, he was suspected to have been dragged by a crocodile into deep water.
Nimai’s two elder brothers, who were working in nearby farm field, raised a hue and cry. The villagers also gathered on the river bank and searched for Nimai. “I heard the villagers shouting while returning from the temple. When I rushed there, they said a crocodile had taken away Nimai. I also saw a crocodile slipping away at the time but it was not taking any body,” an eyewitness told the media.
On being informed, police along with Fire service personnel went to the river and started a search operation. But they failed to trace missing Nimai.
Considering the crocodile menace in the river, the Forest department has put up a warning notice on its banks. But no steps have been taken to prevent the crocodiles from coming close the banks, said the villagers.
