Idukki (Keralam) | A 59-year-old man was killed after a large boulder rolled down a hill and trapped him between a water tank and the rock at Kadamakkuzhi near Kattappana here on Saturday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Sebastian, who was working in his plantation along with his wife when the incident occurred.

The area had witnessed a landslide earlier, and the boulder had been lying on the upper portion of Sebastian's plantation for a long time, police said.

The boulder suddenly rolled down on Saturday morning while Sebastian and his wife were working in their plantation.

The couple tried to run to safety after noticing the rock rolling towards them, officials said.

However, the boulder rolled in the direction Sebastian had run, trapping him between the rock and a water tank.

Fire and rescue services personnel and police reached the spot and struggled for a considerable time to retrieve him, officials said.

Though Sebastian was rushed to a hospital, he could not be saved, officials said.

Police have registered a case for unnatural death and started an investigation.

The body of the deceased will be handed over to relatives after postmortem, police added.