This is the astonishing moment a crocodile clutches a missing man in its jaws after a witch doctor claimed he summoned it to return the body.

The missing man, identified as Syarifuddin, 41, was bathing in a river with friends when the beast pounced and dragged him beneath the water in Berau, Indonesia, on Tuesday at 6.20pm.

Desperate relatives reportedly searched in vain for him and it was assumed that he had been taken into the depths of the Lempake River when police failed to find him.

Villagers contacted a local black magic wizard who specialises in 'crocodile witch craft' and it's claimed they cast a spell for Syarifuddin to be brought back alive. Incredibly, his body is said to have emerged yesterday morning.

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The crocodile clutching the man identified as Syarifuddin in its jaws in the Lempake River

Residents cover up the body of the man after retrieving it from the water in Indonesia

After Syarifuddin, pictured left and right, was dragged to his death, residents called a witch doctor in an attempt to get his body back

It is claimed that after the crocodile whisperer set out his message, the man was returned to the river bank

The predator is purportedly seen floating to the banks with the naked body of Syarifuddin in its jaws as the gathered crowd looks on, in video footage from the scene.

It then dropped off the corpse sparking suggestions the saltwater crocodile, which can grow up to 5.2m as an adult, had actually been guarding the victim's body from other predators seeing as it hadn't been eaten.

Friend Andi Resmin who was with Syarifuddin when he was captured by the croc said: 'He was just in the water and the crocodile humped at him and took him.'

Local resident, Eet, said there was a local myth that anyone bathing with clothes on in the river would be fine - but bathing naked would result in a crocodile attack.

Stunned locals gathered to receive their friend from the predatory beast

He said: 'If the person bathes naked, they will be definitely be eaten by crocodiles, for sure. If they wear clothes they will not be ambushed.'

Syarifuddin was found dead and had injuries to his ribs on the right side of his body.

Police chief Inspector Talisayan Faisal Hamid, who is now investigating the incident, said: 'The victim's friends report to the officer he was attacked by a crocodile. That night we did a search.'

The officer said nothing was returned that evening and so residents contacted a crocodile charmer and the body appeared the next morning on Wednesday.

Hamid said it was 'very weird' that three crocodiles emerged from the river, suggesting the body of the man was being protected so that 'the victim could be delivered'.

He said: 'People also bathe in the water, so again, it is unlucky that he was killed by the crocodile.'

Police Inspector Hamid said the 'important thing was that the body had been found' and that locals were now 'hunting the crocodile that attacked' the man.