This footage shows a young man brutally plucking the feathers from a peacock and then smiling to the camera as he shows off his gruesome handiwork shortly before it dropped dead.

The images were filmed in Katni district, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday, 21st May, with local media reporting that the bird died as a result.

They show the smiling man, seen wearing a golden earring from his right ear and a number of gold bangles, plucking the poor peacock’s feathers while a female friend watches.

She can also be seen smiling, apparently stifling a laugh as she puts a hand in front of her mouth.

Plucking the plumage from peacocks causes them immense pain and bleeding and can sometimes, as reported on this occasion, result in death. Even peacocks that survive such brutal treatment are considered irremediably injured and often lose their ability to breed.

The images reportedly caused outrage on social media, with netizens in India demanding that the authorities punish the young man, not least as the peacock is the national symbol of India and symbolises immortality and immunity to evil.

The police have said that they have identified the suspect, named only as Atul in local media, and are currently looking for him after issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Gaurav Sharma said that the youth was identified. The police reportedly went to his home, but he was not there at the time and had absconded.

They have asked locals to help in trying to track him down and to notify them if he is spotted.