Crocodiles in the 600-year-old dighi (a lake-like tank) beside Khan Jahan Ali shrine in Shatgambuj union under Bagerhat Sadar upazila killed a visitor and injured two others in a span of three weeks.
The marsh crocodiles, once peaceful and tame, are now turning more and more violent towards the devotees coming to have a dip in the water body as the large creatures often remain hungry allegedly due to misappropriation of their food by a section of khadems (caretakers).
Amid panic of attack by the carnivorous reptiles, the number of devotees taking the 'holy bath' sees decline, said a caretaker.
Two crocodiles attacked Mariam Begum, 40, of Nonadanga village under Bagerhat Sadar upazila when she went to the dighi to have a bath in the morning on June 26, eyewitnesses said. The crocodiles ate away flesh from her legs, leaving her dead.
Two other devotees Aasia Begum and Rezaul Islam were seriously injured in attacks by crocodiles in the morning and evening of July 18. Both of them are now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Perhaps the hungry crocodiles cannot resist the temptation when they get anyone within easy reach, said Moazzem Hossain, officer in-charge of Bagerhat Model Police station.
"Although ferocious by nature, these crocodiles earlier did not show any hostility towards visitors as they got enough to eat. But now they are changing behaviour due to shortage of food," he said.
Visitors to the shrine from across the country bring over a hundred cocks and hens on an average daily to feed the four crocodiles in the 200-acre dighi but a section of dishonest khadems secretly sell out 70 to 80 percent of it, making the large reptiles often starve, a source linked to the shrine said.
Three of the crocodiles were brought from the Indian state of Madras on June 24 in 2005. They often turn violent towards visitors. The other crocodile generally remains calm as it is old.
Asked about the matter, Humayun Fakir, leader of a group of khadems, said, "The three marsh crocodiles brought from India are aggressive by nature. They attack not only visitors but also khadems."
He submitted a petition 'on behalf of' khadems of the shrine to Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Akram Hossain for shifting the three 'frightening' crocodiles.
An opponent group of khadems led by Shahadat Fakir submitted another petition to the DC, requesting him not to send the crocodiles elsewhere. The creatures are suffering from food crisis due to random misappropriation of foods brought by devotees, they alleged.
On July 14, the district administration at a meeting in presence of the representatives of the two rival groups decided that the crocodiles will remain at the dighi.
Source : The Daily Star
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