Sarawak Latest News

A stray crocodile was shot dead by police after it tried to attack a motorcyclist near Kampung Prutan at Mile 17, Jalan Kuching-Serian Road early yesterday morning.

In the 1.00 am incident, two motorcyclists travelling separately were returning to the village when they came across a crocodile on the road. The first motorcyclist managed to ride past the reptile but the second motorcyclist rammed into it.

The 16-year-old motorcyclist managed to jump to one side as the crocodile snapped its jaws on the rear of the motorcycle.

Siburan OCS, Chief Inspector Jamaluddin Abdul Latif (right) showing the dead crocodile. (Inset) Close up of the crocodile.

The petrified motorcyclist ran to a nearby house to seek help. The occupants of the house called the police and a team from the Siburan police was dispatched to the scene.
When the police arrived at the scene, the crocodile was still there. They killed the crocodile so that it would not bother the villagers.

According to the villagers, crocodiles have been lurking in the nearby swamp and they come across them on several occasions.

One villager, who preferred anonymity, said he had seen a crocodile in his fish pond and to prevent the reptile devouring all his fish, he threw food into the pond.
He said the crocodiles would not attack people unless they were disturbed.

“There are crocodiles in the swamp and I have seen them. They had never come out from the swamp and attack the villagers. This is a rare case and the crocodile must have strayed from the swamp,” he said.



Meanwhile, it is learnt the Forestry Department officials had visited the swamp two weeks before yesterday’s incident after villagers reported that crocodiles had emerged from the swamp and were lurking in the nearby bushes.

A wildlife body had also checked on the crocodiles in November last year and determined their presence was not a threat.

'The questioned is.. why they killed the crocodile??? Despite the villagers told that the crocodiles would not attack people unless they were disturbed."