This is the dramatic moment a crocodile was caught after killing a schoolboy in a river in Indonesia.

The youngster Habil, 10, had been bathing near the banks of the Arut River with his friends when the predator pounced on him and dragged him into the depths in West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, on November 25 morning.

The boy was still able to scream for help as he was thrashed around but by the time authorities arrived, he had already been drowned by the beast.

Footage shows villagers riding boats as they chased after the vicious reptile, seen still carrying Habil's limp body as it lurked beneath the surface. They managed to spear the 13ft-long river leviathan, but when they cut it open to retrieve the lad's remains, they found its stomach empty.

Inspector Syaifullah, Member of the West Kotawaringin Police Water Police Unit, said: 'It is suspected that the victim's body was not found in the stomach of the crocodile because the reptile had released it when it was beaten and speared by residents.'

He added that Habil and his pals had often bathed at the river before the incident.

Local authorities launched a search and finally found the schoolboy's corpse drifting 'not far from where he was attacked' at 8:32 pm, around 10 hours following the attack.

Kobar Police Chief, AKBP Bayu Wicaksono said: 'The victim was found lifeless at around 20:32 WIB, not far from the scene. A hole wound was found in his abdomen.

'We urge residents living on the banks of the Arut River to remain careful. There is a need for warnings, especially when carrying out activities on the river.'

Habil's body was taken to a funeral home as his grieving family prepared for his burial.

The Indonesian archipelago is home to 14 types of crocs - with a large population of extremely large and violent estuarine crocodiles that flourish in the region's climate.

Conservationists believe that crocodiles have been driven further inland closer to villages due to overfishing reducing the crocodiles' natural food supplies combined with habitat loss from the development of coastal areas into farms.

With uneducated locals in the developing country still using rivers for bathing and primitive fishing, the deadly combination of factors has led to rising numbers of crocodile attacks.