The crocodile was later released away from the human habitation.
A crocodile was captured in Madhya Pradesh and had its legs tied and mouth restrained as the villagers, who believed that the reptile had swallowed a child, tried recovering his body from its stomach.
The villagers insisted the seven-year-old, Antar Singh -- who came under the crocodile attack while bathing in Chambal River with his friends in Sheopur on Monday, was alive inside the reptile's stomach and even called out his name, believing he would answer from there.
Forest and police officials tried to explain to them it was not possible.
Antar Singh was bathing when the crocodile attacked him and tried to swim away holding him in its jaws. A crowd had gathered hearing the frantic calls for help and captured the reptile using nets.
Believing the crocodile had swallowed the boy, the villagers first tied its legs and clamped a stick between its jaws to prevent it from chewing.
The villagers' attempts to 'recover the child' was futile and it took the forest officials a few hours to convince them to set it free. The crocodile was later released away from the human habitation.
The boy's body was found in the river next morning and was taken to his house for last rites.