NEW DELHI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A senior forest officer was killed Saturday by a wild elephant in India's southern state of Karnataka, officials said.

The officer was trampled to death by the wild elephant in Dodda Byran Kuppe forest area in Mysuru district, about 175 km southwest of Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka.

"Today a senior forest officer S Manikandan was killed by a wild tusker inside D B Kuppe forest range in the Nagarhole National Park," a senior forest official said. "Manikandan was the conservator of forests and director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve."

According to officials, Manikandan went inside the forest to assess the damage caused by a fire incident.

"The officer, accompanied by a few staff members, was walking inside the forest when the tusker attacked the group from behind. The wild elephant chased the officer and trampled him, resulting in his killing," the official said.

"He was removed to hospital in H D Kote but doctors there declared him brought dead."

Reports said another forest official also suffered injures in the attack and has been hospitalised.

Every year many people get killed or injured in the growing man-animal conflict across India.