Kalpetta: A farm labourer who was plucking pepper was killed by a wild elephant at Kuzhimalam, Chulliode near Sulthan Bathery on Sunday morning.
The police said the victim, Nagashetti, 54, a native of Chamarajanagar, was plucking pepper standing on a ladder when he heard people crying out loud saying they spotted an elephant. When he came down the ladder, he was mowed down by the elephant.
The body was handed over to his relatives after a post-mortem was conducted at government hospital, Ambalavayal.
Shaji Kottayil, an activist, said it was for the first time that an elephant was raiding farm lands in the region. The animal might have crossed into the farmlands from the Niligiri forest region in Tamil Nadu which is about 10 kilometres away from the spot, he added. There were reports that the animal was found on the border villages on Saturday night.
Forest officials warned people residing in border villages that the migration of elephants to border regions in search of fodder and water is high as the jungle regions of neighbouring states have dried up.
