Giant python eaten by villagers after man wrestled with it

A giant python which attacked a man on his way home from work has fed an entire village.

Robert Nababan, a security guard, reportedly “wrestled” with the 26 ft (7.8m) python when he stopped to move it out of the road.

Despite being seriously injured by the reptile, Mr Nababan survived the attack. The snake’s enormous body was then strung up for display at a village in Indonesia, before it was chopped up, fried and eaten.

Mr Nababan told Indonesian news outlet Detik: "I tried to catch it, my hand was bitten, and I managed to wrestle it."

The 37-year-old did not give an exact reason for why he tried to catch the python, but said there were villagers who could not cross the road because of the snake.

Varying reports say he was either trying to keep scared villagers safe or that he wanted to clear the road.

The wounds from the snake’s bite were so deep Mr Nababan’s left arm was nearly severed.

He was taken to hospital in Pekanbaru city, where he is still recovering, said Elinaryon, head of the Batang Gansal district government.