A mahout (elephant handler) named Nazrul Islam, 35, has died after being trampled by an elephant in Kotalipara, Gopalganj.

The incident happened on Tuesday morning (24 September) in Polsair village in the upazila. Police detained the elephant and another mahout.

Nazrul Islam was from Kurigram. For a long time he had made a living by travelling around the country collecting money with the elephant.

Locals said that in the morning, Nazrul Islam was going round different parts of Polsair village with the elephant collecting money. While he was collecting money at the Polsair village market, the elephant suddenly wrapped its trunk around him and threw him to the ground. It then stepped on his chest several times, and he died on the spot.

Locals detained the elephant and its other mahout and informed the police station. Police then took the mahout and the elephant into custody, recovered the body and sent it to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem.

Kotalipara police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abul Kalam Azad confirmed the incident.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.