Charging elephant
© GettyCharging elephant
An elephant trampled its mahout to death near Marthandam on Tuesday.

Police said the mahout, Prasanth (22) of Ananthamangalam, was returning home with the elephant being reared by an individual from Unnamalaikadai near Marthandam after participating in a temple festival at Nattalam.

When they were crossing Nallikulam, the pachyderm suddenly got agitated, dislodged Prasanth from its back and trampled him.

Prasanth, who sustained serious injuries, was rushed to a hospital, but he died on the way.

The body was sent to Kuzhithurai Government Hospital for a post-mortem.

Marthandam police have registered a case.