A police officer from southern India has been praised for his bravery after tackling a man armed with a machete.

Footage captured on June 12 shows a man sitting on a motor scooter by a roadside in Alappuzha in Kerala.

As soon as a police vehicle pulls up next to him, the man takes out a large machete and starts swinging it at officer Arun Kumar.

Kumar doesn't back away and wrestles his assailant to the ground where he pins him and gains control of the machete.

The footage shows Kumar then arresting his 48-year-old attacker.

The officer was injured in the incident and received seven stitches.

Dramatic visuals have emerged of a brave police officer subduing an armed attacker in southern India's Kerala.

The incident took place at Para Junction near Kayamkulam town in Alappuzha district on June 12.

Visuals, caught on a CCTV camera, showed a man standing by the roadside as a police vehicle pulled up next to him. As soon as he saw a policeman getting down from the vehicle, he pulled out a giant machete and started to attack the cop. However, the valiant cop stood his ground and managed to pin the attacker down to the ground.

The cop then disarmed him.

The brave policeman has been identified as Sub Inspector Arun Kumar V R, 37, who is in-charge at the Alappuzha Nooranad police station.

The attacker has been identified as Sugathan, 48. He has been arrested.

Speaking to Newslions, Arun Kumar said he received seven stitches during the attack.

The cop said an FIR has been registered under sections 294 (b), 332, 307, 341 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code and 27 of the Arms Act.

Sugathan has been placed on 14-day remand.