A forest watcher was beaten to death and his body dumped into a well in a village in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, some 30 km from here.

Some villagers noticed the body of 50-year old Kannan floating in the well in Mavanalla this morning and on information Forest Department officials rushed to the spot and retrieved the body with the help of police.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Kannan had prevented some persons from taking an elephant to a tourist spot. The male elephant, Rivaldo, was like a pet to the villagers as its trunk was cut by poachers sometime ago.

The villagers used to feed the elephant food as it went door-to-door. He used to eat idli, dosai and pongal given by the residents. Not only this, the villagers used to take it to some resort or tourist spot during festival season to ensure it got food.

It was on such an occasion when some people were trying to take Rivaldo to a tourist spot during evening time that Kannan prevented them from doing so, according to the police.

The persons allegedly manhandled the watcher, resulting in his death and the body was thrown into the well, they said. The retrieved body is now kept at Masanagudi Government Hospital.

Police have taken Krishnan, a tribal, who works like an agent getting customers for resorts, into custody for interrogation. They suspect his hand in the murder.