Thrissur: The wild elephant, that fell into a well on a private property at Vellakkarithadom in Thrissur, died on Tuesday morning amid rescue operations.
Surendran, the property owner, spotted the animal around 1 am and informed forest department officials.
The well, which lacks any fencing or wall around it, provides drinking water to the owner's family and is currently being excavated with an earthmover. It is situated 300 metres away from the forest area. A crane will be used to get the carcass out of the well, said forest officials to Manorama News.
Earlier, officers said that the elephant was in good health, but it became trapped in the limited space of the well, unable to move.
The jumbo was part of a herd of elephants that regularly roam the area, officials added. The region is frequently raided by wild elephants, resulting in significant crop damage for the villagers, said Surendran.