Crocodile attacks person in Jambi

Sun, 03/18/12


A local identified as Syamsul, 62, was killed after being attacked by a crocodile while defecating on the bank of a river in Teluk Dawan, West Sabak district, East Tanjungjabung regency, Jambi, at about 8 p.m. on Thursday.

An eyewitness said that Syamsul, who had just attended a Thursday evening Koran recital at a neighbor’s house, disappeared into the water after being dragged down by the crocodile.

“The crocodile surfaced from the water twice after the attack before submerging,” said Muhammad Amin, who is also head of the local neighborhood unit.

Imung, another eyewitness, said that the search for Syamsul’s body was carried out until early Friday morning, when the tide was low, but there was no sign of the body.

“The crocodile may have been carried away by the river current,” said Imung, who claimed to witness the attack firsthand.

The search was conducted by locals using boats and speedboats. Some of the speedboats were even equipped with electric current apparatus to help force the crocodile to surface.

Syamsul’s body was finally found later at 3 p.m. by the victim’s nephew Abdul Karim, some 100 meters from the site where he was attacked by the crocodile.

Wounds were found on the thigh, hands and chest.

Thursday’s crocodile attack was not the first ever in the region. Muhammad Amin said that such incidents happened almost every year.

“Of the four incidents ever happening so far, two of the persons attacked died. The two others survived,” Amin said.

Locals have urged the authorities to give them permission to hunt the animals that had claimed people’s lives.

They said that if the animals were protected, the people’s security must also be taken into consideration.

Joni, another local, urged the local administration to deal with the problem.

“Otherwise, they consider the crocodile’s lives more valuable than humans,” he said.


(x the JP)


(The moral of the story? "tidak boleh" crapping in the river ) siK0