Wild elephants trample teacher to death in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 26 (IANS) A school teacher was Thursday trampled to death by wild elephants in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, an official said.

Warson Ch. Sangma, a 31-year-old lower primary school teacher, was killed around 2 a.m. at Gangbanga village, when villagers were chasing away three elephants, including a baby elephant, District Magistrate Pravin Bakshi told IANS.

"The school teacher was caught in the middle as the two adult elephants were fleeing and he was trampled to death," Bakshi said.

Gangbanga is located near the Bangladesh border, about 370 km from Shillong.

Experts said wild elephants are moving out of the jungles as people encroach upon animal corridors, leading to an increasing number of elephant attacks on villages.

The total population of Asiatic elephants in Meghalaya is estimated at 1,811, according to a wildlife census in 2011.