A furious wild bear brutally mauled a father and son to death in a forest in India.

The horrifying incident unfolded as Suklal Darro, 45, and Ajju Kureti, 22, ventured into the wild to gather wood in the Kanker area of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, January 18.

A forest guard, Narayan Yadav, was also injured while attempting to rescue the duo from the bear's clutches in the forest on the Jailnkasa hill, near the Dongarkatta village.

Heart-stopping footage shows the enraged bear attacking a forest guard in uniform.

'Don't run away' a man in the background can be heard saying to the guard moments before bear mauled him.

The angry animal pinned down the officer, making it difficult for him to escape. He sustained hand injuries and was said to be in critical condition.

Despite efforts to save the pair, Darro succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital, while Kureti tragically passed away on the spot.

Authorities used JCBs to recover the bodies of the father and son from the jungle, as the bear remains at large, instilling fear in the community.

They said the sloth bear, also known as the Indian bear, had emerged from the dense forest covering hillsides around the village. They said leopards are also present and urged locals to take extra care.

But a forest department spokesman warned locals not to attack the bears.

They added: 'Citizens should avoid going into areas where bears could be present. If they encounter oneof these animals, please do not disturb or attack them.'

The sloth bear is native to the Indian subcontinent. They are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation.

Conservationists believe there could be up to 20,00 living in the wild.