Daily Swimmer Loses Life in Fatal Crocodile Encounter
A tragic crocodile attack claimed the life of a 59-year-old man in Kolhapur district on Monday morning. The victim, identified as Laxman Kalgi, a resident of Dattawad village in Shirol tehsil, was attacked near the jackwell close to the Dattawad-Sadalga bridge over the Dudhganga river.
Kalgi, a retired employee of the Dattawad branch of the Kolhapur District Central Cooperative Bank, was a habitual morning swimmer. He had entered the river water with a group of six to seven friends for his daily swim when the incident occurred. He went missing soon after, and his body was discovered floating approximately three hours later.
Range Forest Officer Nandkumar Nalawade confirmed the grim details. "The deceased had crocodile bite marks on his ankle and thigh of both legs. The punchnama and post-mortem have been completed," he stated. The forest department has announced a compensation of ₹25 lakh for Kalgi's grieving family.
Forest Department Issues Stern Warning to Public
Officials have reiterated that the area is a known crocodile habitat and urged people to avoid the riverbanks. Deputy Conservator of Forests Dhairyasheel Patil highlighted the increased danger during the current period. "Crocodile nesting season is on, and usually, crocodiles are aggressive during this time," he explained.
Patil expressed concern over people continuing to venture into the water despite being aware of the risks. "This is a big risk," he emphasized. To mitigate future tragedies, the forest department plans to launch awareness campaigns in every gram panchayat and install signboards detailing safety protocols near riverine areas.
Villagers Report Rising Crocodile Population and Attacks
Local residents have raised alarms about a noticeable increase in crocodile sightings and attacks in the Krishna and Dudhganga rivers. They have demanded more proactive management of the crocodile population from the forest authorities.
Milind Deshpande, a Dattawad villager, provided a historical perspective. "We started spotting crocodiles in the Dudhganga since 2005. After the 2019 floods, their numbers suddenly increased, and large crocodiles measuring 10 to 15 feet started appearing on the riverbank," he said.
Deshpande listed recent incidents, stating that in the past year alone, crocodiles have attacked a horse, a goat, and an elderly man. He also pointed out a dilemma faced by locals: "Even if a crocodile comes into our farms, the forest department has warned that we should not catch the animal, or else cases will be registered against us."
The forest department's plea remains clear: the public must exercise extreme caution and avoid entering river waters in zones identified as crocodile habitats to prevent further loss of life.
