A crocodile ate a fisherman before locals caught the reptile and pulled the missing man's severed head from its stomach.

The four-metre long beast dragged the fisherman, named Syafri, 55, into the water while he was fishing in the Lakar River delta in Siak regency, Indonesia, on Sunday night (April 26).

It then killed the man as his friend, Toha, screamed for help and scrambled up the muddy banks to safety.

Shocked residents from the Teluk Lanus village reported the attack to police and rescue teams began searching for the man.

Chillingly, they found a severed leg the next morning before snaring the saltwater crocodile in nets and shooting it dead.

Gruesome footage posted online showed cut open the creature's stomach and fish through its guts for the fisherman.

Heru Sutmantoro, head of the Riau province Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said the man's death was a tragedy - but also slammed villagers for killing the protected crocodile.

The conservationist said that locals had been warned in June 2019 not to go fishing in the crocodile infested swamps connected to the delta but Syafri may have ignored the danger or been unaware.

Heru said: ''We received the information that the attack happened on Sunday night.

''We have long warned the public to avoid saltwater crocodile habitat and be careful around that area. This was not the first attack, similar attacks have happened before around the Lakar River.

''The victim probably did not know the area was a habitat for saltwater crocodiles.''

Heru said that wildlife officials were powerless to act against the villagers who killed the croc but he vowed to increase patrols to map the habitat of the crocodiles to try and prevent future attacks.

He added: “Saltwater crocodiles are among the wild animals protected by the law. It is the authority of the Police or the Environment and Forest Ministry’s law enforcement centre.''

A crocodile ate a fisherman before locals caught the reptile and pulled the missing man's severed head from its stomach.

The four-metre long beast dragged the fisherman, named Syafri, 55, into the water while he was fishing in the Lakar River delta in Siak regency, Indonesia, on Sunday night (April 26).

It then savaged the man as he friend, Toha, screamed for help and scrambled up the muddy banks to safety.

Shocked residents from the Teluk Lanus village reported the attack to police and rescue teams began searching for the man.

Chillingly, they found a severed leg the next morning before snaring the saltwater crocodile in nets and shooting it dead.

Gruesome footage shows the reptile being dragged along a dirt track before locals begin chanting. They then cut open the creatures stomach and fish through its guts for their missing friend.

Eventually, the man's lifeless head is found and pulled out of the crocodile's stomach. His arm was also pulled from the crocodile's tummy.

Heru Sutmantoro, head of the Riau province Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said the man's death was a tragedy - but also slammed villagers for killing the protected crocodile.

The conservationist said that locals had been warned in June 2019 not to go fishing in the crocodile infested swamps connected to the delta but Syafri may have ignored the danger or been unaware.

Heru said: ''We received the information that the attack happened on Sunday night.

''We have long warned the public to avoid saltwater crocodile habitat and be careful around that area. This was not the first attack, similar attacks have happened before around the Lakar River.

''The victim probably did not know the area was a habitat for saltwater crocodiles.''

Heru said that wildlife officials were powerless to act against the villagers who killed the croc but he vowed to increase patrols to map the habitat of the crocodiles to try and prevent future attacks.

He added: “Saltwater crocodiles are among the wild animals protected by the law. It is the authority of the Police or the Environment and Forest Ministry’s law enforcement centre.''