A farmer was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants while he was asleep after a night vigil at his field in the early hours of Wednesday, at Pengaragunta, a forested village in the Palamaner range, 45 km from here.
Forest officials said that an eight-member herd of elephants attacked Yanadi Subramani (55). It was observed that the farmer might be fast asleep and before he could regain his senses and run for safety, the jumbos had attacked him. A case was registered. Elephant trackers had been deployed at forest fringe villages to drive the pachyderms into the thickets.