Erode (Tamil Nadu), February 8 A 30-year-old farmer was killed by a herd of elephants in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on Sunday morning, officials said.
The deceased, identified as Magesh, owned agricultural land near Thalavadi.
According to forest officials, Magesh had gone to his land at night to scare away wild animals that were damaging crops.
Around 2 am, a herd of elephants entered the farmland and began eating and damaging the crops.
Magesh attempted to drive the elephants away by sounding an alarm and setting off firecrackers, officials said.
Hearing the commotion, neighboring farmers rushed to the spot and joined him in trying to scare the elephants away.
However, the herd retaliated, forcing most of the farmers to flee. Magesh was reportedly caught in the herd and was trampled to death on the spot.
After the incident, the elephants returned to the nearby forest area.
Forest department personnel later reached the spot and recovered the body.
When officials attempted to take the body to a hospital, local farmers prevented them, demanding compensation of 25 lakh rupees for the victim's family.
Forest officials and police were in talks with the farmers to resolve the issue.
As of 1 pm, the body remained at the victim's farmland, officials said.