A six-year-old disabled boy lost his life after allegedly being thrown into a crocodile-infested river by his mother, media reports said.

The tragic event unfolded in Dandeli taluk of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, following a dispute between the 26-year-old mother and her husband.

According to police reports, the couple frequently clashed over the care of their elder son, who had been speech-disabled since birth, UNI news agency reported.

The situation escalated on Saturday night when amid an argument, the mother purportedly took the drastic step of hurling her child into a waste canal directly connected to the perilous Kali River, the Indian news agency reported.

Detailing the harrowing sequence of events, Dandeli rural police inspector Krishna Barakeri told UNI, "Savitri allegedly threw her son into a waste canal linked to the crocodile-infested Kali river around 9 pm."

Neighbours, alarmed by the commotion, swiftly alerted the authorities.

The police, accompanied by divers and locals, rushed to the scene.

However, hindered by darkness, their search efforts were initially futile.

Tragically, the child's lifeless body was recovered from the river on Sunday morning.

The grim extent of the child's injuries, with severe wounds, bite marks covering his body, and a missing hand, strongly suggest a crocodile attack as the cause of death, the police said.

This appalling incident has left the community reeling, prompting questions about the underlying issues surrounding disability, mental health, and the need for support systems for struggling families.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances.