KOTA BHARU, Sept 10 — A 66-year-old man was believed to have been killed by an elephant while searching for his missing cow at the Lepan Kabu plantation in Kuala Krai this afternoon.

Kuala Krai police chief Supt Mazlan Mamat said that following a report at 4 pm, a joint team of police, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), and Civil Defence Force was deployed to the scene.

“The team secured the area before recovering the victim’s remains,” he told Bernama yesterday. 

Meanwhile, Pahi Mukim chief Mohd Khairul Anuar Mohd Nor identified the victim as Ghazali Setapa, from Kampung Pahi. 

Mohd Khairul Anuar said Ghazali had gone to the plantation with his two sons and three friends to look for his missing cow. The group had then split up. One of them had spotted an elephant and a member of the group was sent to notify Perhilitan.

Moments later, they claimed to have heard trumpeting nearby, followed the sound, and discovered the victim, apparently killed by the animal.

Mohd Khairul Anuar said the victim’s body was sent to Hospital Sultan Ismail Petra’s Forensic Unit for a post-mortem.

He added that while elephants had strayed into the area before, the last such incident was two to three years ago, and this animal is believed to have lost its way as the area is not their natural habitat. — Bernama