A 12-year-old boy was mauled to death by a crocodile in Uttar Pradesh, India, on July 16, 2026, after the reptile snatched him while he washed his hands in the Ghaghara River. The victim, named Sunil, was with his uncle, Vijay Raj Singh, when the attack occurred at around 6 p.m. in Baundi.
Attack Details
Sunil and his uncle had been planting rice seedlings that afternoon and stopped at the river to wash off dirt. As they knelt down, a crocodile emerged suddenly, grabbed the boy's leg, and dragged him into deeper water. Horrifying footage captured the reptile thrashing the child in its jaws as bystanders watched helplessly.
Singh raised the alarm and tried desperately to free his nephew, but the crocodile held on. Locals attempted to intervene with bricks, stones, and sticks, but their efforts failed. The crocodile eventually dragged the boy underwater and disappeared from sight.
Recovery and Aftermath
After several hours of searching with bamboo poles, villagers recovered Sunil's remains around 10 p.m. that day. Authorities reported that his right leg and abdomen had been partially eaten, and his lower waist was severely mutilated. TN Maurya, a station house officer from the Baundi police station, confirmed the authenticity of the circulating footage.
Sunil was an orphan who had lost both parents years earlier and was being cared for by his uncle. He is survived by a brother and two sisters. Local reports indicate that state authorities plan to compensate the family with 400,000 INR (£3,091). Forest officials are monitoring the area, though residents continue to use the river for daily activities despite the known presence of crocodiles.
