Mysore/Mysuru: A forest watcher was trampled to death by a wild elephant at a village in the fringes of Dattalli Beat, in Metikuppe Range of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve last midnight.

The deceased is identified as Mahadeva (35) of Bheemanakolli in H.D. Kote taluk in the district.

Following an information over a wild jumbo straying out of forest and raiding agricultural crops, a five to six-member team of forest personnel rushed to the spot. In their bid to drive the pachyderm back into the wild, one of them opened fire in the air.

Scared by the sound, the elephant charged towards Mahadeva and attacked him, leaving him severely injured. He succumbed to injuries on the spot.

The body has been shifted to Government Hospital in H.D. Kote for post-mortem.

DCF and Director of Project Tiger, Nagarahole, Harsha Kumar Chikkanaragunda, RFO Harshit visited the spot.