When The River Turns Hostile: The Rising Crocodile Threat In Kendrapara; 24 Deaths In 6 Years
In Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park, crocodile conservation is a success, but it has come at a human cost, with dozens killed in attacks along riverbanks.
Published : October 16, 2025 at 6:25 PM IST
By Radhakanta Mohanty
Kendrapara: During monsoons, when the rivers swell, so does the danger rise for people staying close to the Mahanadi, Barunai rivers and Dhamra river mouth. For the villagers, the return of the rains also means the return of crocodiles who silently turn predators and attack villagers, for whom even daily chores become life-and-death risks.
Dhamra is a river mouth or estuary formed where the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers meet the Bay of Bengal.
According to official records, 24 people have died in crocodile attacks in the district over the past six years. But locals allege the toll is far higher. “If private estimates are taken into account, the number of deaths will be more than 50. People are dying every year, but the forest department is not serious about finding a solution or doing anything substantial to stop it. The fences they install get washed away in floods and are never repaired,” says Bhagirathi Jena, a member of the Kendrapara Civil Society Forum.
The district's 48-kilometre coastline makes its geography tricky - surrounded by seven rivers and 27 tributaries. Its villages situated in proximity to Bhitarkanika National Park, home to hundreds of estuarine crocodiles, makes coexistence with wildlife inescapable. The people live within the thin yet delicate line between fame and fear.
Bhitarkanika is also known as India’s richest mangrove ecosystems and a global conservation success story. But beyond the sanctuary’s boundaries, villagers are unhappy with the situation. Crocodiles, they claim, once stayed deep in the creeks. But now they spot them in ponds, rivulets, and even open fields after heavy rain.
“They hide in shallow waters or near ghats. The river is our source of water and people get dragged away while washing utensils or defecating in the open. Some people are eaten away and others’ half eaten bodies are recovered,” says a villager from Mahakalapada block.
If last year’s records are anything to go by, Kendrapara has seen a string of gruesome incidents.
- On October 18, 2023, Shibshankar Samant of Rattapang village in Mahakalapada was reportedly killed by a crocodile near the riverbank.
- In November 2023, a differently-abled youth from Shabarpada village narrowly survived an attack.
- Earlier this year, Kajal Mohanty from Koladihi panchayat was killed by a crocodile while defecating near a pond.
- On August 20, 2024, there were two separate attacks in a single day - a 13-year-old Rakesh Malik of Khunta village, survived with injuries, and another Panchanan Das of Manikpatana village died being attacked while taking his cattle to graze near the Brahmani river.
- A few days ago, a woman from Bari area was eaten by a crocodile in front of people, which shocked everyone.
Despite such repeated tragedies, locals allege that preventive measures remain mostly cosmetic.
“The forest department says it creates awareness every year. But how much can awareness help? Usually you can see that the entire exercise ends in futility - barricades are broken, signboards missing, and crocodiles remain a daily danger,” Jena remarks bitterly.
Gayadhar Dhal, district president of the Odisha Farmers’ Association, says it is a vicious cycle. “Crocodiles usually feed on fish coming from the sea into the rivers. Now big fishing boats are taking away those fish, forcing the crocodiles to come upstream in search of food. The danger has reached even Jajpur and Cuttack” he says.
He alleges that lakhs of rupees are being spent in the name of awareness, but most of it is wasted. “Every year, lives are lost, yet officials underreport the deaths,” he further adds to his allegations.
According to the district administration, compensation of Rs 10 lakh is given to families of victims of crocodile attacks. However, there are rules laid down, which villagers say do not help them.
“No compensation is paid if the death occurs within 25 km of the national park,” said Additional District Magistrate Rabindra Malik. “From 2019 onwards, 24 deaths have been officially reported, and the forest department has paid compensation to eligible cases. Awareness programmes are also being conducted regularly,” he added.
But villagers feel rules mean little when livelihoods and survival are tied to the rivers. For them, keeping away from water is not an option.
What is considered a success story in crocodile conservation in Bhitarkanika has today become a story of conflict between wildlife protection and human safety.
“We know Kendrapara is famous for crocodiles and tourists come to see them, but for us, they are nothing more than a threat,” says Jena.
For families along the riverbanks, they are living on the edge. Every time anyone from the family goes to the river, the others remain apprehensive. The rivers are not about calmness but death traps, say villagers.
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