A 12-year-old boy was killed in a crocodile attack in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, India, after the reptile dragged him into the Ghaghara River while he was washing his hands and feet after working in a paddy field.
The boy’s uncle and several villagers made frantic efforts to rescue him, but the crocodile vanished into the deep waters with the child.
His body was recovered nearly five hours after the attack.
The incident took place in the Baundi police station area, located about 45 kilometres from the district headquarters.
According to local residents, the boy had gone with his uncle to a paddy field on Thursday afternoon to assist in paddy transplantation work. After spending nearly three to four hours working in the field, the duo stopped near the Ghaghara River while returning home to clean themselves.
At around 6 pm, a crocodile suddenly emerged from the river, grabbed the boy by his leg and pulled him into the water.
Witnesses said the child struggled to escape as his uncle raised an alarm for help.
On hearing the cries, nearby farmers and villagers rushed to the riverbank and threw stones and bricks at the crocodile in an attempt to make it release the boy.
However, their efforts failed as the reptile reportedly tossed the child several times before dragging him into deeper waters.
The victim’s body was later retrieved after an extensive search operation.
