Two people die after swarms of deadly spiders invade Indian town

Scores treated in hospital after being bitten

Identity of 'highly aggressive' spider continues to remain a mystery

Local officials believe that witchdoctors are now making the problem worse



Swarms of spiders descending from nowhere and biting those unfortunate enough to stray into their path sounds like the stuff of nightmares.

But for people in one Indian town, the scenario is all too real.

Two people are said to have died after being bitten by the poisonous creatures in Sadiya, in the north east of India.

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And scores more have been treated in hospital after the town was suddenly invaded by the poisonous eight-legged creatures last month, which have left residents living in a state of panic.

Now worried local officials are considering spraying the town with insecticide to kill off the menace, after experts have so far failed to identify the species.

A scientist, who is one of those now camping in the area in an attempt to tackle the dangerous spiders, described the creatures in question as 'highly aggressive'.

Dr Saika, told the Times of India that the arachnid could even belong to a whole new species.

He said: 'It leaps at anything that comes close. Some of the victims claimed the spider latched onto them after biting, and if that is so, it needs to be dealt with carefully.'

Rumours are rife that the spiders could be any of a number of poisonous arachnids, including possibly a tarantula, a black wishbone, or even the feared funnel-web spider.

Sadiya locator

Experts are also concerned that the spider epidemic is being made worse by the influence of witch doctors in the town.

Dr Anil Phatowali, a superintendent at Sadiya's local hospital, said that both of those who died had first sought the treatment of witch doctors, who had cut open the wounds with razors and drained out the blood before burning it.

Residents have spoken of their shock at the sudden invasion of spiders who entered the town whilst Hindu festival celebrations were in full swing last month.

Jintu Gogoi, who was one of those bitten by the spider, told how he suffered excruciating pain and nausea after being attacked, with his finger still blackened and swollen weeks later.

Whatever the identity of the mystery spiders, experts agree that the creatures are unlikely to be native to the area.

Researchers are also still running tests to discover how poisonous the spiders are after medical chiefs questioned the authenticity of the bite claims.



Dr. Anil Phatowali, superintendent of the town's hospital, said they had not administered an antidote as they could not be certain the spider was venomous at all, pointing to the treatment by witchdoctors as a possible factor in the two recorded deaths.

