This is the shocking moment a British seaman allegedly bit a motorcycle rider during a drunk rampage in India.

The inebriated sailor, a crew member of a Royal Navy vessel docked for maintenance nearby, caused chaos when he charged into traffic near a shopping mall in Royapettah, Chennai, on March 31.

Footage shows the half-naked military man weaving through a busy street as police and bystanders run to control him.

He briefly managed to escape from the officers before rushing toward a motorist stuck in traffic and appearing to bite him on the shoulder.

Police dragged away the crewman, who was with two other foreign tourists, and pinned him against a metal fence.

One of the tourists wearing a ripped shirt spoke with a British accent, saying to a man in an orange shirt: 'Don't do this... leave it, leave it... Toby, they're not going to let this go, mate.

'Have you got his bag? We'll just get hold of Dean when we get back.'

Local media reported that the men had taken a trip into the city but started fighting with a local in a mall.

One of them allegedly went on a topless rampage on the street before being subdued by police.

A Royal Navy Spokesman said: 'We can confirm an incident involving UK service personnel in Chennai, India.

'This incident is currently under investigation so it would be inappropriate to comment further.'