Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Oct 27: Stories which have been handed through generations by words of mouth have painted a grave picture about the ruthlessness of pythons, whose grip is said to be strong enough to instantly crush the ribs and rupture the lungs.

A five-year-old boy from Pakkalu Kolibettu near Perdoor in the taluk who encountered a python near his home, courageously took on the attacking reptile and escaped with minor injuries. The incident occurred on Friday October 23.

Santosh Shetty from Pakkalu Kolibettu had been to the shrine of Yakshi nearby for offering puja with family members on Friday. In the afternoon, the family was returning home. The five-year-old son of Santosh Shetty, who was ahead in a line of seven people in the narrow lane, started to run towards his home when the group was nearing his home. The path through which they were walking was covered with thick bushes on both the sides.

Within seconds after the boy began to run towards his home, a python that was waiting in the bushes, reportedly moved forward and caught his leg with its mouth. The boy let out a shout because of sudden pain in his leg, and fell to the ground. His mother, who was close by, and other family members rushed to his rescue. The boy immediately kicked the python with his other leg, after which the python loosened its grip. He immediately withdrew his leg. The python then sped away, and family members began to treat the boy.

After using a tourniquet to stop the boy's bleeding, he was rushed to the government hospital at Hiriyadka. The boy, the skin over the calf muscle of whom has injury marks, is recovering fast. The family members of the boy feel that the python perhaps could not manage enough bodily movement to tighten its grip over the boy because it was confined in a small gap inside the bush. His father, Santosh Shetty, said that the python would have gained an upper hand if it was in an open place.

Gururaj Sanil, a saviour of snakes and expert in the subject of reptiles, said that the python would have attacked the boy perhaps because he accidentally placed his leg over it. He clarified that the python would have been hungry at the time and searching for food. He asserted that the pythons inhabiting the district are normally not hostile, and reasoned that it would have responded naturally after having been stepped on by the boy out of hunger and panic. As pythons are not venomous, he felt that tetanus injection would be a sufficient treatment, as the bites of the python are not toxic.