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A man who was forced to quarantine in his home over fears of coronavirus tore his clothes off and raced into the street naked before biting a sleeping elderly woman to death, it is claimed.

The man, named only as Manikandan, had flown home to India from Sri Lanka when he was ordered by authorities and his family not to leave his house for 14 days.

According to reports in India, after a week of the self-isolation the 35-year-old man began ripping his clothes off before he hurtled into the street in Tamil Nadu.

It is claimed he then began running through the adjacent streets where he spotted an elderly woman sleeping outside her own home.

Yahoo! News India says the man then raced up to her before clamping down on he neck and biting hard.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The woman woke up and screamed, sending her nude attacker fleeing - but not before a mob had been gathered in a bid to track him down.

Frantic relatives raced the woman to hospital last Friday, but tragically she deteriorated while receiving medical care and died.

The attacker was eventually caught by the enraged mob who handed him over to police.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

In a statement police said: "The accused, Manikandan, has a history of mental illness for which he was treated in Madurai back in 2010.

"On Friday, he disrobed himself and ran from his home. He tripped and fell a hundred metres from his home and targeted the elderly woman, who was sitting outside her house.

"According to the man's family, ever since Manikandan returned from Sri Lanka, he was stressed about losses his business suffered there and his mental health deteriorated."

A murder case has been filed against Manikandan.

Meanwhile, India's Prime Minster Narendra Modi has placed the country on lockdown with strict order to punish anyone who does not isolate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday the lockdown would continue for 21 days with restrictions on peoples’ movements being enforced.

In a TV address, he said: “There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes.”