Reporter trampled to death by an elephant in Minneriy

A 43-year-old Derana provincial video journalist was trampled to death by a wild elephant that entered his village in the Minneriya police area on Monday morning. He faced the tragic end around 7.00 a.m., while he was shooting the elephant’s movement in the village with some other video journalists during an operation by Wildlife officers to chase away the animal. Priyantha Ratnayake, a father of three, succumbed to his injuries at the Hingurakgoda hospital, where he was rushed by the police. A police officer, who witnessed the incident, told The Island that the victim had got too close to the elephant in spite of warnings. The elephant was finally chased into the Minneriya forest by the Wild life officers. The video footage of the incident shows how the victim ran for his life, pursued by the wild elephant. No residents had been injured or killed nor any houses damaged by the wild elephant, a police officer said. The incident had occurred at a time when children were heading for school, but they had been safe, he added.