A 50-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Chhattisgarh’s Surajpur district, a Forest Department official said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Tuesday in Khadra forest area under the Pratatppur forest range when the victim, Surat Lal Yadav, took his cattle for grazing, Surajpur Divisional Forest Officer J.R. Bhagat said.
Surajpur is located about 350 km from Raipur.
Yadav, hailing from Durti village, apparently came face-to-face with the elephant. When he tried to run away, the animal lifted him with its trunk and slammed him on the ground, the official said.
The victim died on the spot, Bhagat said, adding that police and forest officials had retrieved the body.
The victim's family was given an immediate aid of `25,000. The remaining `5.75 lakh will be given after completion of formalities, the official said.
Three elephants had been roaming in the Pratappur forests and locals were alerted, Bhagat said.
Several incidents of human-elephant conflict have been reported from the forested northern Chhattisgarh consisting of Surguja, Surajpur, Korba, Raigarh, Jashpur, Balrampur and Korea districts.
The region has witnessed several killings of villagers and widespread damage to houses and crops by rogue elephants. Between June and October, 15 elephants died in separate districts due to various reasons.