Nepalese youth killed by crocodile in Saryu canal: Police

Bahraich (UP), Apr 20 (PTI) A 20-year-old Nepalese youth visiting his relatives in a village near here fell prey to a crocodile on the banks of the Saryu canal in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary on Wednesday morning, police said.

Deepu, visiting his relatives in Sirsian Purva village under the Katarniaghat range of the sanctuary, had gone to relieve himself on the banks of the canal along with his cousin Shiva when the crocodile came out of the canal, caught hold of him and dragged him into the water body, they said.

The local villagers rushed to the canal when Shiva raised an alarm but the crocodile had disappeared into the canal with the youth by then, police said.

The villagers said due to the strong current of water and fear of crocodiles, divers could not enter the canal because of which the search for the youth’s body could not be launched.

On villagers’ information, police and forest department officials too reached the spot but were unable to launch the rescue operation immediately, they said.

Police and Forest Department have asked the Irrigation Department to stop the water flow in the canal to find the dead body which could not be traced till the filing of this report. PTI CORR SAB RAX RAX