February 10, 2008	Sunday	Safar 02, 1429

COX’S BAZAR (Bangladesh), Feb 9: Wild elephants straying into a Bangladesh village killed a man, injured another and trampled several homes on Saturday, forest officials said.

The incident occurred at a village near Ramu, about 400km southeast of the capital Dhaka, said an official of Bangladesh Forest Department.

Villagers, who were caught off guard, fled their homes, but later returned with drums and firecrackers to scare off the herd of around six elephants.

The elephants also devoured rice stocks, fruits and soft plants and destroyed some standing crops in the tiny village.

Attacks by elephant have become frequent in recent years, as their forest habitats shrink due to encroachment.—Reuters