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A lorry driver who was attacked by a panther while stopping by the roadside at Bukit Tangga last week is still haunted by the terrifying experience
A Suresh, 54, said he is grateful to be alive, believing that the wild animal stopped attacking him after hearing the sound of another vehicle nearby, according to Berita Harian.
He sustained injuries from the animal's claws but was fortunate to avoid further harm.
Suresh, who was discharged over the weekend from Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital after three days of treatment, said he required more than 30 stitches to his head and is still traumatised by the incident.
"Until now, I can't sleep properly. The image of the panther pouncing on me keeps replaying in my mind. I didn't see where it came from; it was sudden and frightening," he said.
Suresh, who lives in Klang, Selangor, was on his way back to Kuala Lumpur after delivering chicken feed in Jelebu when the incident occurred
"I had stopped to inspect the lorry and relieve myself. As I was about to wash my hands, the panther jumped on me and tried to bite my head. I managed to shove a water bottle into its mouth just in time.
"Otherwise, I could have died. The injury on my head was caused by its claws," he said.
The father of two said he was fortunate that another vehicle stopped nearby and helped contact an ambulance.
"I advise other lorry drivers and road users to be extra cautious when travelling along that road, and only stop in safe areas. In my six years of making trips to Jelebu, I've never seen a panther in that location before," he added.
Image via Sinar Harian
Suresh said officers from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks visited him at the hospital and informed him that the panther that attacked him was estimated to weigh between 80kg and 90kg
Having worked as a lorry driver for 25 years, he did not expect the incident to go viral on social media, which led to many people visiting him in the hospital.
Earlier, a video clip went viral showing a wild animal attacking a man by the roadside before fleeing across the road.
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