A hungry crocodile dragged a man under the waters of a river as he stood at the banks of a river to answer a call of nature.
The 20-year-old, named locally as Deepu, had been visiting relatives in the Sirsian Purva village on Wednesday.
When he needed the toilet he and his cousin went down to the nearby Saryu canal to relieve themselves in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
To their horror a large crocodile launched from the water’s edge and caught Deppu, dragging him under, Republic World reported.
Villagers rushed to help but by the time they arrived there was no sign of him or the deadly creature.
Owing to the strong current and risk of more of the deadly beasts nearby no one dared enter the river.
Divers have also been stopped from looking for his body until the waters recede.
Police and local forest department officials were unable to launch the rescue operation straight away.
The local irrigation department has been asked to stop the water flow into the area so they can find the man’s body.
The shocking death comes just days after villagers in a remote area of Tanzania were urged to stop collecting water from the river’s edge after six people were eaten by hungry crocodiles.
The man-eating crocs have launched fatal attacks on humans between January and March.
It is understood the victims had been collecting water for the village when the reptiles launched from the river, dragging them under before eating them.
Now the government of Tanzania is stepping in to make the area safer, News.cn reported.
Salum Bong’o, chairperson of Kimaramisale village in Dutumi ward, said one of the victims had been his own father.
He told a press conference: “The six victims were attacked and eaten by the crocodiles between January 2022 and March 2022.”
In response to the deadly attacks villagers have urged the country’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to destroy the creatures.
Instead the government is starting a project in the area which will mean villagers will no longer have to collect water from the Ruvu River.
Last year it was reported several people have been attacked by crocodiles when they canoe across the river to reach the livestock on the other side.
Previous government attempts to cull some of the deadly creatures, who have around 60 teeth in their jaws, have failed.
A local councillor said the permits were often given when the river is swollen, meaning several crocs are impossible to see.
