Indonesian Villagers Cut Open a Crocodile to Pull Out The Bloody Remains of Their Friend

Villagers cut open a crocodile and pulled out the bloody remains of their friend after he was eaten while fishing in Indonesia. 

The 13ft crocodile dragged the man into the Lakar River delta on Sunday night and savaged him while his friend screamed for help.

Rescue teams began a search for the 55-year-old, whose name was Syafri, and found a severed leg the following morning before trapping the crocodile in nets.

After shooting it dead, they cut open the reptile’s body and pulled the gruesome body parts out of its stomach.

Shocked residents from Teluk Lanus village helped to trap the creature after reporting the crocodile attack to police.

Syafri’s friend Toha managed to scramble up the muddy banks to safety after witnessing the reptile attack at close quarters.

Locals snared the saltwater crocodile on Monday morning and dragged it along a dirt track to retrieve the body parts while people chanted.

Heru Sutmantoro, head of the Riau province Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said the man’s death was a tragedy.

However, he also criticised the local villagers for killing the protected crocodile.

Heru said locals had been warned in June 2019 not to go fishing in the crocodile infested swamps connected to the delta, but it was not clear if Syafri knew this.

‘We received the information that the attack happened on Sunday night,’ Heru said.

‘We have long warned the public to avoid saltwater crocodile habitat and be careful around that area.

‘This was not the first attack, similar attacks have happened before around the Lakar River.

‘The victim probably did not know the area was a habitat for saltwater crocodiles.’

Heru said that wildlife officials were powerless to act against the villagers who killed the crocodile, but he vowed to increase patrols to map the habitat of the crocodiles.

He added: ‘Saltwater crocodiles are among the wild animals protected by the law. It is the authority of the Police or the Environment and Forest Ministry’s law enforcement centre.’