While trying to save his dogs from the reptile at the Thattekere lake in Ramanagar district

A leisurely drive and a stroll with dogs in the forest on the city’s outskirts proved costly for a 26-year-old city-based entrepreneur.

On Sunday morning, the IIT Mumbai graduate lost his left forearm to a crocodile while trying to save his dogs from it at the Thattekere lake in Ramanagar district, situated around 55 km from the city.

According to Harohalli police, Mudit Dandwate, a native of Nagpur, Maharashtra, and his friend were out on a drive to Anekal forest. They had planned to visit a a temple at Thatekere, inside the forest, coming under Harohalli police station limits. “They also had two dogs - a cross-breed and a labrador - with them. They got off the car and took the dogs for a walk,” said a police officer attached to the Harohalli police station limits.

Seeing the lake, the dogs ran into the water. “Mudit ran after the dogs to get them out of water, but failed to notice the crocodile. The crocodile ripped off his left forearm,” said Dr. Anjana, orthopaedic at Hosmat Hospital and Mudit’s friend, who also treated him.

According to her, Mudit, who runs a health care start-up, said he did not notice the crocodile warning board at the site. “He said there was something written in Kannada and that there was no fence around the lake,” she said.

Thomas Chandy, Chief of Orthopaedics, Hosmat Hospital, said that the dead tissues were cleaned through a process called debridement. “The procedure will be repeated on Monday. The wound will be kept open for a few days and we will close it once we are sure it won’t turn infectious,” he said and added that in three months’ time, Mudit will be provided with an artificial forearm.

Since the incident happened in forest land, the state forest department is investigating the case. The department has taken up a case against Mudit for trespassing.