A 61-year-old man, Phani Mura, was killed by a tusker when he was going to a brick kiln in Kutidih village within Jhaldah Forest Range under Purulia Forest Division.
The incident occurred at around 5 a.m, at a place which is about two and half kilometres away from his home.
“Since the past two weeks the brick kiln has been closed due to the lockdown. But, today my husband and other labourers went to the brick kiln hoping to resume work so that they can earn some money for the family. We have no money remaining. The other labourers managed to run away upon seeing the tusker but my husband failed and the pachyderm threw him with its trunk. He died on the spot,” said his widow, Tunibala Mura.
The forest ranger of Jhaldah said that the tusker is a residential elephant of the forest and has been staying here since a long time. So far it has not shown any unnatural behaviour.
The tusker had been roaming in Kotsila Forest area and even crossing into Jharkhand since the past few days. Forest officials have been keeping tabs on its movement, sources said.