Locals allege politicians have not done enough to make area safe from crocodile attacks, which have led to 50 deaths since 2014
Kabindra Dalei, who lost his thumb in a saltwater crocodile attack. Photo: Ashis Senapati Human Crocodile Conflict (HCC) will play an important role as voters get ready to head to polling booths in villages around Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park in the state’s Kendrapara district on June 1, to elect a new Assembly as well as members of Parliament.
Bhitarkanika is a vast tract of mangrove forest and brackish water swamp. It is the home of around 1,811 saltwater or estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) as per this year’s reptile census. The species is the largest living reptile on earth. In India, it is only found in Bhitarkanika, the Sundarbans and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The saltwater crocodile is a territorial reptile in the water. It is also among the few crocodilian species (consisting of true crocodiles, alligators, caimans and the gharial) most likely to attack humans.
‘Salties’ have killed 50 people in the villages around the Park since 2014. Many people have also been maimed. The reptiles have also taken several livestock including cattle, water buffaloes, goats and sheep in these areas.
This reporter spoke to residents of several hamlets and settlements, all of whom felt that HCC would be a deciding factor in the polls.
June 1 marks the seventh and final phase of voting in the marathon general elections to elect a new Lok Sabha.
A saltwater crocodile attacked and killed 34-year-old farmer Nimai Mallick (34) at Dakhinabheda village around Bhitarkanika National Park under the Rajnagar Assembly segment on March 8, 2024.
Mallick’s was the seventh such death reported from the villages near Bhitarkanika in just over seven months and 23 human deaths in 23 months.
He is survived by his wife Gita, three daughters and a son.
“My husband is the latest victim in a growing number of crocodile attacks in the riverside villages adjoining and away from the Park. I will not cast my vote in favour of any candidate as all leaders have failed to protect us from crocodiles,” said Gita.
Forty-year-old Anam Jena of Palatpur village also feels that promises by political leaders are hollow. His wife, Joshna, was killed by a crocodile eight months back while she was taking a bath in a local river.
“Political leaders shed only crocodile tears on our woes. The villages located within the periphery of the Park have been facing the brunt of crocodile attacks for years now,” Jena said.
Jagannath Acharya of Nimapur village also has a tragic tale to relate. His 10-year-old nephew was killed by a crocodile last year while bathing in the river.
“The Bramahani river is now teeming with hundreds of crocodiles. Riverside villagers are thus debarred from using the river’s water for any purpose. Crocodiles also enter village ponds in the villages. The dangers posed by crocodile attacks is definitely an election issue in our village,” said Acharya.
A saltwater crocodile in Bhitarkanika National Park. Photo: Ashis Senapati
“Crocodiles are a big problem. Nobody can go and even take a bath in the river. Even livestock cannot go near. When they go to the river to drink, they are killed. Many fishermen have left their traditional fishing in the crocodile-inhabited rivers,” said Rangadhar Jena, a fisherman of Iswarapur village.
Kabindra Dalei, a 46-year-old plumber of Dangmala village, is a testament to the HCC in the villages around Bhitarkanika.
Dalei was washing his feet in the village pond two years ago, when a saltie grabbed him and dragged him into the water. Providentially, some alert villagers managed to beat the reptile with some bamboo sticks and it let go. But not before it had disabled Dalei forever.
“I always recall the terror, the pain and the violent struggle against the crocodile. I suffered serious injuries on my left hand and lost my thumb. I used to work as a plumber in a private construction company in Mumbai. After this incident, I lost my livelihood,” he said.
The survivor started a betel leaf (paan) shop in the village last year. “I shiver each time I see a crocodile. I will not cast my vote in the coming polls as all parties are unconcerned about the HCC issue,” said Kabindra.
Ajaya Mandal of Talacua village claimed to this reporter that sundry political leaders have been trying their best to appease residents of the villages around the Park. But most voters are in no mood to be hoodwinked by the candidates.
“Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders are hell-bent on garnering the votes of locals by raising the safety factor of the villagers in the coming polls. But we are not believing them,” said Mandal.
Some also feel the incumbent BJD has a more difficult task at hand.
“The opposition BJP and Congress have been targeting the incumbent BJD for its inability to resolve HCC in the Assembly segments of Rajnagar, Mahakalapada and Aul under the Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat,” said Satish Rout of Rajnagar.
Rout added that the attacks by the two parties would make it difficult for BJD candidates to win voter hearts and minds in crocodile-inhabited riverside villages.
Madan Mohan Rout of Rajnagar noted that Dhrub Charan Sahoo, a BJD candidate from Rajnagar Assembly seat within Bhitarkanika, had won the constituency in 2019.
“Now, he is again seeking votes from us. BJD is facing a tougher competition as most of the riverside villagers are determined to teach a lesson to the ruling party for not resolving their woes,” said Rout.
“The slipshod attitudes of the state government to effectively tackle the issue are likely to dominate the minds of voters in these villages during the coming polls,” said Alekha Pradhan of Nimpur.
The forest department, when contacted, stated that it was doing all it could to prevent HCC.
“The forest department shut down artificial hatching and rearing of crocodiles in Bhitarkanika on February 24 this year after the crocodile population was found to have reached 1,811 in the park. The hatching and breeding of crocodiles had otherwise continued for 50 years,” said Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav, the divisional forest officer of Bhitarkanika National Park.
“We have recently erected barricades at 120 river ghats around Bhitarkanika in Aul, Rajnagar, Rajkanika and Pattamundai blocks to prevent crocodiles from attacking people,” Yadav added.
He noted that the department was also warning villagers not to venture into the water by distributing posters and pamphlets and through loudspeakers.
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