Bengaluru: As he thrashed and flailed against the open jaws of a crocodile in a lake in Anekal that was shredding away at his arm despite being only in three feet of water, 26-year-old Mudit Dandwate found he had two options.

Lose an arm and keep his life, or give it all up. And that fateful morning, as he desperately recalled every tid-bit he had picked up over the years watching Discovery Channel, he knew what he had to do. The young startup entrepreneur lost his left arm that morning, snapping it off at the elbow, leaving the rest in the crocodile, and hauling himself to safety. Three days after the horrific incident, his spirit is a long way from broken.

Things are quiet at Hosmat on Wednesday morning, aside from the trickle of reporters who arrive for a word with the city’s incredible hero. Mudit, who was in extreme pain, had been administered painkillers and lay quietly in his bed surrounded by his parents. The little company, which included his friend, Gaurav Parchani, now regards the media with suspicion. (Wednesday's splash in the media did not go down well with the Dandvates). His father refused to say a word.

In the end, it was Parchani who came out into the corridor to talk. “The incident lasted all of two minutes, or less and what's disturbing is that although there were a lot of people around, people who had come to the temple nearby, nobody came forward to help. They were more interested in filming and photographing the spectacle,” said Parchani bitterly. Mudit was apparently most upset. It wasn’t till forest guards ran up, and he had the presence of mind to get them to drive to the nearest hospital, that he felt he was in with a chance.

Mudit's mother, Rekha, slips out of the room later. The family had awoken to one more unpleasant surprise, with forest officials allegedly demanding Dandwate pay a penalty. “We’re shocked,” she proclaimed. “Forest officials came to visit him in hospital but not a word was said about a penalty or being booked.” Its unlikely it will happen. The signboard warning on the man-eating crocodiles were not there, said some, and definitely not readable, Mudit had told them.

A picture of strength, however, Mudit appears to have moved past his brush with death, and is intent now on getting himself the best prosthetics. “We are exploring solutions and will design a few prototypes to see how it goes,” Parchani explained.

The 26 year old has undergone surgery and will remain under observation for a fortnight. “He could be discharged tomorrow or on Friday.” said Dr Anjana Reddy, Orthopaedic resident at the hospital, when Mudit will find out what's it like to deal with the world, without an arm.