Guwahati, Nov. 23: A tea garden labourer was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants at Murpholoni tea estate in Golaghat district last night.

Forest officials said, Bishal Kerpeta, 40, came face to face with the herd when he went out to answer the call of nature around 9.30pm.

His body was recovered this morning.

Tea estates across Assam have turned into a virtual battlefield in the ongoing conflict between man and elephant.

On Saturday night, three persons were killed at Monabari tea estate in Sonitpur district by wild elephants. In another incident the same night, several houses and a school building at a tea estate in Sonitpur district were damaged.

Tea estates in Assam have also witnessed deaths of elephants in recent times.

At least five elephants were killed in Udalguri and Goalpara districts in the past couple of months.

A forest official said the elephants take refuge in tea estates because of decreasing forest cover. “As a result the elephants are coming in constant conflict with the labourers,” the official said.

Work in several tea estates in the state was hampered, as labourers are afraid to go out to the garden because of the presence of elephants.

The forest official said the smell of country liquor also attract elephants towards tea garden labour dwelling. It is a common practice among tea garden labourers in Assam to brew country liquor.

In fact the Uldaguri district forest department has recently requested the district administration to carry out eviction drive in liquor dens to keep elephants away from human settlements.