Malappuram(Kerala) | An over 40-years-old wild elephant was found dead on Thursday morning in an unused septic tank near the Karulai forest area in this north Kerala district.

The elephant known as 'kasera komban' (chair tusker) by the locals was frequently seen in the area but has never attacked anyone, a senior forest official said.

The reason behind the naming was its huge tusks looked like arms of a chair, the official added.

"We got a call around 4.30 am after locals found the tusker inside the tank," he said.

The official said that the septic tank constructed for labourers working in a nearby brick manufacturing unit was barely two meters deep and covered with a polythene sheet as it was not being used any more.

He said that, therefore a fall into the tank may not be the reason for the elephant's death as it was aged and had a lot of health issues too.

"The exact cause of death can be confirmed only after a post mortem," he said.