A contractual employee of the forest department was trampled to death by a wild elephant while he was patrolling the east division of the Buxa Tiger Reserve on Monday evening.

The elephant injured two persons when they tried to save Biman Dutta, 24, who was declared brought-dead at the Alipurduar district hospital.

Sources said Dutta and some others had been heading to a watchtower in the 26th Mile area of the tiger reserve when the elephant attacked him.

Truck hits jumbo

A wild elephant was hit by a truck on AH48 in Madarihat on Tuesday morning. After the accident, it chased a number of trucks on the highway.

Sources said a herd of wild elephants had entered the Meghnad Saha Colony in Madarihat, on the outskirts of Jaldapara National Park, on Monday night. The animals damaged crops and a couple of houses.

When the herd was crossing the highway around 5.30am on Tuesday to return to Jaldapara, a calf came behind and was isolated on the highway. Soon, the mother elephant returned to guide it back and was hit by the truck