A woman from Udupi district who jumped into the Kumaradhara river near the Kumaradhara bridge at Kukke Subrahmanya, Kadaba, on the night of Wednesday, 4 November, in an alleged suicide attempt was inadvertently saved when a crocodile bit her.
The bite made her scream for help. Locals heard her cries and rushed to the river, pulling her out of the water before it was too late.
The night of the incident
The woman jumped into the river on the night of Wednesday, 4 November. The spot was near the Kumaradhara bridge at Kukke Subrahmanya, in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.
The Kumaradhara river is known for crocodiles, and one of them was in the water where she jumped. The animal bit her, and the pain made her cry out for help instead of staying silent in the water.
Locals pull her out
People nearby heard her screams and reached the river bank. They pulled her out of the water and made sure she got medical help.
She was treated in hospital for the crocodile bite and for near-drowning. The treatment went on through the night, and she was discharged on Thursday morning.
Police counsel the woman
After her discharge, police counselled the woman and handed her over to her family. No case was registered in the matter, and her identity was withheld.
The police response was to counsel her rather than to take legal action. The focus was on her safety and on making sure she was back with her family.
A narrow escape
The incident ended with the woman alive and back home, after a night in which the crocodile bite, by accident, saved her life. Had she not screamed, the locals would not have known she was in the river.
The case is a reminder of how quickly a crisis in the river can turn, and how the presence of people nearby made the difference between rescue and tragedy.
What is known, and what is not
The woman is from Udupi district, and her identity has not been made public. The police have not registered a case, and the matter has been closed with counselling and her return to her family.
No further details about her background or the reasons behind the attempt have been shared. The facts on record are the jump, the bite, the rescue, the hospital treatment and the discharge.
