A teenage boy died as an elephant attacked him at the Bangladesh National Zoo in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Thursday.

The deceased was Zahid, 17, son of Azad Ali, a mahout of the zoo.

Confirming the news of death, National Zoo Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Talukder said the incident took place around 11am.

Azad entered the elephant enclosure with his son and suddenly, the elephant attacked Zahid as he seemed a stranger to the animal, he said.

The elephant grabbed Zahid with its trunk, wrapped itself around him, picked the boy up, and threw him, Rafiqul said.

The mahout was taking his son to hospital, but Zahid died on the way, he said.

Later, Azad took his son’s body to his village home in Kulaura of Moulvibazar.

Initially, Azad did not inform the zoo authorities about the matter, he said, adding that they came to know the matter later on.