Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Oct 20: The python that had tried to swallow a boy at Sajipa village in the taluk but had to beat a hasty retreat after he hit it with a stone has since been caught by the locals.

The people heaved a sigh of relief after the python, which had become a nightmare for the people of the village since the last two weeks, was caught on Wednesday October 19 evening. However, locals, Jagadish Kudur, Balakrishna, and Sattar, who took upon the adventure of catching this python, suffered injuries. They stand admitted into a private hospital at Thumbay near here for treatment.

Jagadish Kudur, a relative of the boy, Vaishakh, who had been attacked by the python in question, was going to attend the house warming ceremony of a local at around 7 pm on Wednesday, when he sighted the rogue python. He immediately tried to catch hold of the python by using the mat of his auto rickshaw. The python got enraged and hit him with its hood. Two others, Balakrishna and Sattar, who were on their way for some work, too reached the spot at that time. They helped Jagadish in his task. Jagadish said that during this period, the python whipped them with its tail. The python was finally caught. As soon as the news spread, hundreds of people rushed to the spot and shared their relief by getting their photographs clicked in the company of the python.

Later, forest mobile squad and police came on the scene and handed over the reptile to the custody of Pilikula Nisargadhama at Mangaluru.

This python had made headlines after trying to devour a 11-year-old boy, Vaishakh, on October 4. Vaishakh, who had valiantly fought the python, had survived. He was treated at the hospital for two days. On his way home after getting discharged hospital, the same python was sighted near his home, sending shivers down the spines of his family members and neighbours. The catching of the python, which had been giving sleepless nights to the people, has made the people to feel a sense of relief as they were always worried about the safety of their children who frequented the areas around the village for attending school and other purposes.