A 55-year-old person was trampled to death by a wild elephant while his relative had a narrow escape near Pooyamkutty in the forest area of the district late on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Johny Vengooran, a native of Pooyamkutty town near Kothamangalam. Antony, 52, a relative who had accompanied the deceased, managed to run away from the spot, narrowly escaping the rampaging pachyderm.
Johny sustained serious injuries in the elephant attack that occurred around 10.30 p.m. after he had gone out of the house for a riverside get-together with his friends in the evening. The members of group, which included six persons apart from Johny, were sleeping by the riverside by nightfall. On hearing the noise of elephants approaching, his companions fled the spot.
However, Johny could not escape in time and was attacked by an elephant.
On raising an alarm, locals rushed to the spot and Johny was rushed to a hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, the locals staged a protest in front of the Malayattoor divisional forest office.
