Wild elephant kills 2 farmers

Wild elephant kills 2 farmers

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A wild elephant which strayed from its herd killed two farmers in a village in Lampung Tengah regency on Monday, Antara reported.

People in the Rajabasa village watched in horror as the elephant first picked up 50-year-old Suratmin with his trunk before slamming him to the ground and trampling him.

His neighbor, 55-year-old Toyani, was accorded similar treatment as he tried to rescue Suratmin.

The other villagers waited until the elephant left the farm before retrieving the bodies of the two farmers.

The elephant was believed to be from a herd which strayed from the 130,000 hectare Way Kambas National Park recently, the news agency quoted a park official as saying.

The herd of elephants have attacked villagers blundering into their path in Lampung Tengah. Officials have warned villagers not to approach the wild elephants. (emb)