5 Meters Crocodile Attacked, Men In Mandailing Natal Get 26 Prisoners

Illustration of estuarine crocodiles in captivity (ANTARA)

MANDAILING NATAL - A man in Natal District, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatra, was attacked by a five-meter estuarine crocodile while washing his hands in the Batang Natal River, last Saturday.

Luckily he was saved, after being rescued by residents, the man suffered serious injuries to his hands and had to get 26 stitches.

Zainul Pulungan, a resident around the river, said the incident happened to a victim named Amran, a resident of Pasar Dua Village, Natal District, Mandailing Natal Regency who sells fish every day in the Batang Natal River. When he was about to return home, he washed his hands on the Batang Natal river.

At that time, the victim was suddenly attacked by a crocodile, and screamed for help. Local residents and their colleagues who heard the victim's screams immediately tried to help the victim until they escaped the crocodile's bite.

Knowing that the victim's hand was injured as a result of being attacked by a crocodile, the victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

"The victim was washing his hands in the river and suddenly the crocodile came and pounced on him. So fortunately the victim was able to save himself and the residents and was immediately taken to the hospital," said Zainul, Sunday, August 13 at noon.

He revealed that the victim is still being treated intensively at the Mandailing Natal Regional Hospital.

"The wound is only in the hands, if the stitches are up to tens, the wound is severe. If there are a lot of crocodiles here, yesterday it was not visible. This is starting to appear again," he said.

The presence of crocodiles in the Batang Natal River has become a scourge and disturbs residents around the Batang Natal River and fishermen. Not only one, it is estimated that there are more than five estuarine crocodiles that often present their form during the day or at night.

Residents around Batang Natal District hope that the government will take immediate action. Residents also asked the North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) officers to catch the estuarine crocodiles so that they can do their fishing without worrying.