Three people were trampled to death by a circus elephant in Mollahat upazila of Bagerhat early today.

The elephant also damaged several houses during the attacks at three villages in the upazila, our Bagerhat correspondent reports quoting ANM Khairul Anam, officer-in-charge of Mollahat Police Station.

The dead are Monwara Begum, 45, of Gafra village, Kusum Biswas, 61, of Kahalpur village and Mizanur Rahman, 45, of Basabari village.

The elephant entered Mollahat village and attacked the house of Monwara around 5:30am, leaving her critically injured.

Monwara succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital, the OC said.

Later, the elephant went on rampage at Kahalpur village and attacked Kusum Biswas, leaving her dead on the spot.

Chased by the locals, the elephant entered Basabari village and trampled Mizanur Rahman to death, said the OC.

On information, police rushed to the spot and confined the elephant in a nearby garden at Kahalpur village.

The elephant fled from its owner Matiur Rahman by breaking chain early today. Matiur used to rent the elephant to circus parties.