Five, the British terrestrial TV station, is to cover a legendary 'man-eating catfish' from India in its Nature Shock series.
The episode, called 'Flesh Eating River Monster' is investigating the deaths of three teenagers on a five mile stretch of northern India's Kali river, which have been attributed to a large predatory catfish.
Five told Practical Fishkeeping: "Eyewitnesses have only the briefest glimpse of a dark shape pulling the teenagers under, but this is enough to lead them to believe that the killer is a monster, shaped like a huge elongated pig able to swallow its victims whole.
"The Kali is a sacred Hindu river where cremations are conducted on the river bank. One theory is that the partially burned body parts discarded into the river may have fed this unidentified creature, giving it a taste for human flesh, and allowing it to grow to its massive size."
The programme features biologist Jeremy Wade, who uses "all his cunning and experience - as well as high tech sonar and a mini submarine" to search for the giant catfish, which can reach over 2m/6'6" in length.
Five said: "In the end it's man against beast, as Jeremy literally puts his own life on the line as he wades into the deadly waters of the Kali River and tries to pull one of these monsters onto dry land."
The Goonch, which is a species of catfish from the Bagarius genus, is a member of the Sisoridae family and lives in deep holes in fast-flowing rivers in south east Asia.
Juveniles of Bagarius bagarius and Bagarius yarelli are sometimes offered for sale in the aquarium trade.
The series is due to start on October 14 at 8.00pm on Five.