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A 38-year-old woman was attacked and dragged into water by a crocodile in Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district.
An adult crocodile attacked Baula Pradhan, a fisher woman near Ajagarapatia creek yesterday, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Kedar Kumar
Swain said.
The victim is yet to be traced.
Forest personnel went to the area after villagers agitated over the frequency of such incidents incidents The incident took place within the national park premises.
The fisher woman's family would be covered under ex-gratia compensation payment scheme following recovery of her body, he said.
A fortnight ago, a woman of Bania village was similarly dragged by a crocodile, forest officials said. However, the casualty is yet to be officially registered as the victim's body could not be retrieved.
The victims have been mostly trespassing into national park
water bodies for fishing and collecting wood and are falling prey to such attacks. These water-bodies are crocodile-infested zones, he said.
There are official reports of saltwater crocodiles from Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary straying into Brahmani, Baitarani, Petashala and Kharasrota rivers, Swain said.
The loss of human lives are recorded mostly during monsoon and winter months, the nesting season of the estuarine crocodiles.