Image credit : Illustrative image

Kottayam: A mahout was gored to death during a festival at a mosque at Alathur in Palakkad in the wee hours of today.

The elephant Kunju of Chalakkudy shoved its tusks into Kannan, 35, of Thrissur and forked him a number of times.

He was rushed to the hospital but did not respond to treatment and was declared dead.

The incident occurred when Kannan was trying to adorn the elephant with caparison, police said.

The forest elephant squad and the police from Thrissur reached the spot to bring the elephant under control. It was believed to be under must.