23ft python swallows man returning from party in Indonesia; family find body whole inside reptile

A man in a village in Indonesia was crushed and swallowed whole by a 23ft-long python. The incident occurred when he was walking back home from a party in the wee hours of July 27. Local media reports state that 35-year-old Hasim Lumbessy was at a bar in North Maluku on the night of July 26 and was passing through a forest en route to the village of Waksakai. At around 3 am, a drunk Hasim was attacked by a large python. It struck Hasim from the undergrowth and bit into his leg.

The snake coiled around him, crushing him to such an extent that he died. His family became worried when they did not find him home in the morning. They started searching for him and checked the route through the forest, Sula Islands Police Chief Handres said. They found blood on the ground and his belongings, including a backpack, sling bag and sandals. "The witnesses became concerned and documented the items. They decided to return to the village to inform the other locals. They then conducted a wider search," he said.

Hasim's body was found inside the python

Their worst fears came true when they came across a large snake with a protruding belly, hinting that it had swallowed something large, nearly the size of a grown person. They cut open the python and found Hasim's body inside the reptile. The devastated family took his body back home for the funeral.

The incident led the police to issue a warning to locals about the wildlife habitat in the area. "We urge the public to be careful when going to their gardens; if possible, they should go to the forest in pairs rather than alone, to minimise the risk of similar incidents," they said.

Last month, an equally large python struck a biker in the same area, while in North Maluku the reptile killed a 44-year-old woman while working on her farm.