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.
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.
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-Dailymail