The victim, Annamalai (65), a daily wager, who went to the Kuthukalathur forest area to collect fodder for his cattle, failed to return home by nightfall on Tuesday.

The family members, after a search, found him dead on Wednesday. On receiving information, the forest department from Sathyamangalam and Kadambur police rushed to the spot and examined the scene.

It was then confirmed that the elderly man was trampled to death by a wild elephant. The body of the deceased was then sent for a post-mortem at Sathyamangalam Government Hospital.