Woman cheats death as neighbours kill 6m python and rescue her from its coils

BALING: A single mother here cheated death after she was rescued from a python's coils at her house in Kampung Ulu Tawar Tengah, Mukim Bakai, on Saturday (May 25) evening.

In the 11pm incident, 47-year-old factory worker Halifah Othman had gone out of her house to dispose of rubbish when she was attacked by the 6m-long reptile, weighing 30kg.

Halifah screamed for help and her two sons – Mohd Rasul Abdullah, 16, and Mohd Aziz, 15 – rushed to her aid.

They tried to free her by pulling on the tail of the snake, believed to be a reticulated python.

Their efforts came to no avail and Mohd Rasul sought help from their neighbours.

A few villagers rushed to the scene and managed to kill the python with a parang and rescued Halifah.

The victim sustained snakebite injuries to her leg, hand and head and was taken to the Kulim Hospital for treatment.

"A big thanks to the neighbours who came to help and kill the python. They saved my mother," said Mohd Rasul.

He added that the dead python was later buried nearby.

Neighbour Zulhamidi Abdul Halim, 16, a student, alerted the Civil Defence Force to the incident.

"I was told of the incident by a friend and rushed to the house to check on the victim.

"I saw her bleeding from her neck and one of her legs," he said.

Meanwhile, Baling District Civil Defence Force (APM) chief Lt (Civil Defence) Mohd Faizol Ab Aziz said: "We received a distress call at about 11.30pm and rushed to the scene 40 minutes later."

He said the python, measuring about 6m long, was killed by the villagers.

"The victim's house is located near an overgrown swampy area where the python is believed to have come from," Mohd Faizol added.