<p class="title">A man feared swallowed by a crocodile in Bihar’s West Champaran district returned to his home, nearly 48 hours after the incident. Confirming this, Bettiah SP, Rajiv Ranjan on Sunday said that it was a case of “false alarm.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, reports from Champaran said a crocodile swallowed a man at Tirhut river near Bettiah. The incident took place when the man in his 30s, Subhash Mahto, went to the banks of the river with his livestock as the animals were thirsty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The river is situated in Bagaha, close to Bihar-Nepal border and the region is known to have a large number of crocodiles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Mahto’s animals moved deeper into the river, he is believed to have been waded in to stop them from moving further. In the meantime, a crocodile reportedly appeared from nowhere and dragged Mahto deep into the water.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mahto's screams for help made locals, Forest Department officials and the local police rush to the site. A JCB machine was roped in while a pumping set machine was pressed into service to evacuate water. But all efforts bore no fruit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The man could not be traced. He was feared swallowed by the crocodile. The victim’s father Moti Mahto said there were remote chances of his son’s survival “but we will be happy even if we get his body.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, on Sunday, the SP said, “On our part, we tried to trace the man. We used JCB machine and pumping sets. But the case, after investigation, turned out to be hoax. Mahto has returned home. Further probe is on.”</p>
<p class="title">A man feared swallowed by a crocodile in Bihar’s West Champaran district returned to his home, nearly 48 hours after the incident. Confirming this, Bettiah SP, Rajiv Ranjan on Sunday said that it was a case of “false alarm.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, reports from Champaran said a crocodile swallowed a man at Tirhut river near Bettiah. The incident took place when the man in his 30s, Subhash Mahto, went to the banks of the river with his livestock as the animals were thirsty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The river is situated in Bagaha, close to Bihar-Nepal border and the region is known to have a large number of crocodiles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Mahto’s animals moved deeper into the river, he is believed to have been waded in to stop them from moving further. In the meantime, a crocodile reportedly appeared from nowhere and dragged Mahto deep into the water.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mahto's screams for help made locals, Forest Department officials and the local police rush to the site. A JCB machine was roped in while a pumping set machine was pressed into service to evacuate water. But all efforts bore no fruit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The man could not be traced. He was feared swallowed by the crocodile. The victim’s father Moti Mahto said there were remote chances of his son’s survival “but we will be happy even if we get his body.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, on Sunday, the SP said, “On our part, we tried to trace the man. We used JCB machine and pumping sets. But the case, after investigation, turned out to be hoax. Mahto has returned home. Further probe is on.”</p>
