MADURAI: A 74-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve here on Tuesday morning, forest officials said.

According to villagers of Diginarai in Thalavady forest range located within Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) here, Mathiya (74) of Geerahalli area, went to a private land on Monday night to carry out his duties as a watchman of the land to prevent the entry of wild animals which would damage the standing crops.

Early today morning, he noticed an adult elephant entering the land, and burst crackers to scare it. However, the tusker retaliated and trampled him to death on the spot, forest officials said.

Hearing the elephant's trumpet and Mathiya's cries, the locals rushed to the spot where they found him motionless with injuries from the trampling. They immediately contacted the forest officials, who rushed to the spot. Further details are awaited.