JOHOR BAHRU: A man died after he was believed to have suffered a heart attack while trying to remove a python from his car in the vicinity of a vocational college near Batu Pahat last night.

Batu Pahat deputy police chief Muhammad Izzudin Runggai said the incident occurred at 9pm, and the victim, Zainal Abidin Daim, 59, was taken to the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital in Batu Pahat where he was confirmed dead.

“Police received a report from the daughter of the victim informing that her father had a health problem where he easily suffered from shortness of breath, but he had never sought treatment for it at the hospital.

“The complainant was not sure if her father’s death was due to the snake or the former’s illness.

“Even from the witness’ statement, it was not clear what actually occurred, as it was just mentioned that the snake coiled around the left hand of the victim.

“They tried to help the victim who was found in a weakened condition before sending him to the hospital,” he said.

Izzudin said an autopsy later confirmed that the death of Zainal, who worked as a driver at the vocational college, was caused by “hypertensive heart disease” and not due to the snake.

“The case has been classified as sudden death,” he added.