Sri Vijaya Puram, June 20: A 25-year-old man from Miletilak in South Andaman, who went missing following a suspected crocodile attack, was found dead on Friday morning after an extensive search operation by authorities and local residents. The recovery of the body has once again brought renewed attention to the growing concerns surrounding human-crocodile conflict in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The body was recovered from a creek at around 6:30 a.m., bringing a tragic end to search efforts that had been underway since the incident occurred on June 18. According to available information, the victim had accompanied a group of people to remove accumulated rainwater from a dhongi, a traditional boat, following heavy rainfall in the area.
During the activity, a crocodile reportedly attacked the youth and dragged him into the water. Despite immediate efforts by those present and a subsequent search operation, he remained untraceable for nearly two days.
Following the incident, teams from the Forest Department, Police Department and local residents launched a coordinated search operation across the affected creek and surrounding areas. Search teams continued combing the waterway and nearby locations in an attempt to locate the missing individual.
Officials confirmed that the body was eventually located in a nearby creek and recovered on Friday morning. The remains were later sent for postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
Authorities stated that preliminary observations indicated severe injuries consistent with a crocodile attack. Officials are continuing efforts to identify and track the crocodile suspected to have been involved in the incident.
The incident has renewed public concern over increasing encounters between humans and saltwater crocodiles in the Islands. Crocodiles are commonly found in creeks, mangrove forests and coastal waterways, many of which are regularly accessed by local communities for fishing, transportation and other livelihood-related activities.
The latest fatality has again highlighted the risks faced by residents living near crocodile habitats, particularly during the monsoon season when rising water levels and changing environmental conditions can increase the likelihood of encounters.
Authorities have urged residents to exercise extreme caution while venturing near creeks, mangrove belts and coastal water bodies known to be inhabited by crocodiles. Officials have also reiterated the importance of adhering to safety advisories issued in vulnerable areas to reduce the risk of further incidents.
