A security guard was found dead after being attacked by wild elephants in the sand mine area, at Batu 6, Simpang Perani-Mawai, here, this morning.

Kota Tinggi district police chief Supt Hussin Zamora said they were informed of the discovery of the body of a 56-year-old local man at about 10.30 am.

“At the scene, the victim was found lying shirtless and wearing only black pants with bruises, suspected to have been attacked by wild elephants,” he said in a statement today.

Hussin said police also found elephant footprints, a trail of the victim’s body being dragged as well as dents on the bonnet and door of the victim’s Honda vehicle.

He said the case was classified as sudden death and the victim’s body was sent to Kota Tinggi Hospital for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, the victim’s wife, who only wanted to be known as Mariamah, 53, said she had gone to check on her husband when he did not answer her phone call.

She said he had been so cheerful earlier and had wanted to buy cucumbers to feed the elephants at his workplace.

“Abang Yan (Misran) was aware that the sand mine area was full of wild elephants. We both used to lead the elephants to cross the main road there,“ she said when met by Bernama at the Forensic Unit of Kota Tinggi Hospital.

Mariamah who is suffering from stage 2 cancer, arrived at the mine area at about 9.30 am to find her husband lifeless not far from his car.