Sri Lanka, March 5 -- An elephant herder tragically died after being attacked by the elephant he had cared for in the Habarana area.

The deceased, Rasika Thilakaratne, a 26-year-old unmarried man from Pilimatalawa, had been looking after the tame elephant named Podi Raju for around six years.

Reports indicate that yesterday afternoon, Thilakaratne took the elephant to an elephant bathing area in the Barana area. During the bathing process, the elephant turned on the herder, mauling him fatally.

The Habarana Police are investigating the incident, and the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Dambulla Hospital morgue.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hiru News....