Man attending mother-in-law’s funeral dragged into river by crocodile

Bahraich: In a tragic incident, a 30-year-old man was allegedly dragged into the Ghaghara river by a crocodile while he was attending his mother-in-law’s funeral in Gonda on Wednesday noon.

The victim, Deepak, a resident of Greater Noida, had travelled to his in-laws’ village with his wife and daughter for the last rites of his mother-in-law, Urmila Devi, who died of cancer on Tuesday.

The incident occurred near Sonouli Mohammadpur village, where funeral preparations were underway on the riverbank. After a pit was dug for the cremation, Deepak reportedly went to the river to wash his hands. As he bent down near the water, a crocodile is said to have suddenly emerged, seized him by the head, and pulled him into the river before anyone could respond. Villagers attempted to rescue him, but the animal quickly disappeared into the water.

Police and local divers launched a search operation, but Deepak’s body is yet to be recovered.