COIMBATORE: A 33-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Coimbatore outskirts on Wednesday night.

Suresh Abhimanyu from Pooluvapatti, who runs a gift shop, had gone along with his friend Saravanan, 28, from Narasipuram to stay in a farm, around 11 pm, when the tragedy happened. The wife and children went to stay at his mother-in-law’s house for vacation.

While going by a two-wheeler on the Vaidehi Falls road, a wild elephant came their way. The duo immediately dropped their two-wheeler and took to their heels. However, the elephant chased and attacked Suresh, and he collapsed on the spot.

On receiving information, the forest department staff from Boluvampatti Range arrived and rushed him to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), however, he had already died. The body has been handed over to family members after a post-mortem.

In another incident, a wild elephant ventured out of the forest area and damaged plantain crops in a farm at Karadimadai near Coimbatore. The elephant strayed into the farm owned by Jayarajan and damaged hundreds of plantains on Wednesday night.

The elephant also destroyed the solar fencing put up around the farm. A team of forest department staff drove the elephant away into the forest after a long struggle.

‘Kongu’ Periasamy, vice president of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association-Coimbatore, said the forest department should enhance patrols at night as incidents of elephants coming in search of food and water have become rampant due to the ongoing summer season. He also urged the district administration to compensate farmers for the loss incurred by elephants.