Dhaka, April 11 -- An elephant has bashed a boy to death at the Bangladesh National Zoo in Mirpur.

The incident occurred around 10:30am on Eid day on Thursday.

The boy was the son of an elephant handler, said Jashim Uddin Molla, deputy commissioner of the Mirpur Division of police.

"Many people were visiting the zoo as part of their Eid celebrations," he said. "The boy was with his father, the elephant handler, as they [the elephants] were showing off tricks like playing football."

"Suddenly, one of the elephants picked up the boy with its trunk and slammed him to the ground."

The boy was rushed to the hospital, where a doctor on duty declared him dead, the police official said.

The elephant has since been separated and kept under s...