A 28-year-old engrossed in online games on his cellphone near home in the Madarihat block of Alipurduar district was trampled to death by a member of an elephant herd that had strayed out of the Jaldapara National Park on Saturday night.

Akash Das had no inkling that a herd of four-five elephants had entered his Madhya Madarihat village around 8.30pm.

One of the elephants trampled him to death. The animal then wrapped Das in the trunk, took him away and dumped the body on an agriculture field 1km away.

As the youth wasn't found, his family members started a search for him. Around 9am on Sunday, his body was found. Police and foresters took the body away for post-mortem.

The forest department will compensate the victim’s family, said sources.