Ahimbisibwe Rugaju, Deputy Resident District Commissioner in the Southwestern part of Kanungu, Uganda, says strayed elephants have killed a 53-year-old man, who is yet to be identified.

In a statement on Tuesday, the commissioner said the man, a farmer, was killed while guarding his crops against wild animals from the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

Mr Rugaju said two elephants strayed out of the park on Sunday and destroyed acres of gardens before the residents started chasing them back into the park.

“However, as the elephants moved towards the park, they came across the deceased while he was guarding his potato garden near his homestead where he was killed instantly,” Mr Rugaju said.

He said the residents had been complaining about stray animals destroying their crops despite the government promising to put a fence around the park.

The residents have threatened to kill wild animals when they are sighted in their gardens since the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers have failed in their duty to drive the animals back to the park whenever they attack.

The commissioner, however, urged the residents against harming wildlife and to always work with park authorities to ensure that the animals were returned to the park.

(Xinhua/NAN)