Three lions have been sentenced to life in captivity after they were found to have eaten humans.

Seventeen lions were rounded up last month and had their paw prints and excrement tested after three people were killed near an Indian reserve. A.P. Singh, the chief conservator of Gujarat state, said human remains were found in the faeces of one male lion and two females.

He said the male had attacked and killed the humans, while the females had eaten the leftovers.

An official at a nearby zoo said the male lion was moved to their enclosures and the females will be held at a rescue centre.

The 14 other lions will be released back into the sanctuary.

Officials at the Gir Forest reserve conducted the mass arrests after six people were savaged nearby.

The suspects were held in separate cages until the killer was found.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, Wildlife expert Ruchi Dave said the 'tests' involved studying the pug marks and faecal matter of the lions.

"The officials are also studying the animals' behaviour. Man-eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a human being," she said. Other experts feared that the attacks could be due to the thriving lion population which is expanding beyond the bounds of the sanctuary, MailOnline reports.