Ooty: A plantain farmer was trampled to death by a lone tusker that had strayed into his farm near Gudalur, some 70 kilometres from here, today.

50-year-old Murugesan noticed an elephant, in his plantain farm in Muruganpadi, destroying a full-grown bunch of bananas early in the morning today. In order to drive away the elephant, he shouted and pelted stones at the animal.

The elephant turned around and charged at Murugesan, who fell down while trying to run away. The elephant gored Murugesan to death with its tusk and left the farm around 6.30 AM. On information, relatives and officials from forest and police department arrived at the spot and body was taken to Gudalur Government Hospital.

In another incident, Gokulan (33), a school bus cleaner, was attacked by an elephant at Malavancherampadi some two kilometres from Muruganpadi, while he was waiting for the students to get into the bus. He was admitted to the government hospital with injuries on his leg. He is very likely to be shifted to Coimbatore for further treatment.