Man Savagely Attacked By Crocodile Near River; Half-Eaten Body Recovered

A farmer in Uttar Pradesh, India, was attacked by a crocodile Saturday. When he was found, his body had been partially eaten.

The 52-year-old man, identified as Jameel, was drinking water from a river when he was dragged into the water by a crocodile. The man was grazing his buffalo near Dudhwa forest and was unaware that he was in crocodile territory when he moved toward the river, Times of India reported.

After a three-hour-long rescue operation, Jameel's body was recovered by villagers.

Jameel was a marginal farmer living with his son Rizwan in Bhedora, a village adjacent to the Majhgai range of forests. According to the news outlet, the incident occurred near Kairigarh Ghat on Saryu river, but Jameel's body was recovered more than half a mile away from where he had been attacked by the crocodile.

Forest ranger Subhash Kumar assured the hundreds of locals who had gathered near the river that steps will be taken to determine if compensation should be given, the report said. Jameel's body was sent for post-mortem.

“The file of compensation can be processed only after autopsy confirms that the man died in an animal attack," said Anil Patel, divisional forest officer.

Crocodiles are some of the most vicious predators in the animal kingdom. With strong jaws, they are able to snap a human's bone like twigs. For crocodiles, any animal that moves is fair game.

In Africa alone, several hundred crocodile attacks on humans occur every year. Experts, however, believe that a lot more attacks happen regularly, and a number of them still go unreported. According to BBC, between a third to half of the attacks are fatal.

Although a good number of crocodile attacks happen in rural villages, there are still ways people can avoid such incidents. One such way is to swim in areas safe for water activities. Boaters are also strongly advised to avoid leaning over the side of their watercraft as crocodiles tend to snap at dangling limbs.

When faced with a crocodile, it is best to back away slowly and not make sudden movements. According to History, running away in a straight line is the best way to escape a crocodile that is headed your way. The belief that moving in a zig-zag motion will allow you to outrun the predator is a myth, the site said.