Midnapore: A 43-year-old man was killed by an elephant on Wednesday morning while collecting mushrooms in the Benageria forest in West Midnapore district.The victim, identified as Gangadhar Dolui of Chuashol village, had entered the forest under the Salboni Police Station area around 7.00 am with a group of fellow villagers. The group suddenly encountered an elephant herd near the Mirga beat of the Arabari range. While the other villagers managed to flee, an elephant grabbed Dolui with its trunk and violently flung him to the ground.Once the herd retreated, villagers rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Following a post-mortem examination at Midnapore Medical College Hospital, his body will be handed over to his family, and forest officials are currently arranging government-mandated compensation for the next of kin.