Gerik police chief Supt Ismail Che Isa said the incident occurred at about 2.30am when the teacher Aznida Alias, 49, was travelling from Tanah Merah, Kelantan, to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Arau, Perlis.

“It was pitch dark and the victim, who was driving a Nissan Almera, did not expect to see a herd of elephants in the middle of the road.

“As the elephants were so close to her car, she could not avoid hitting and killing one of them.

“She then headed for the nearest police station to make a report,” he told Bernama.

He said the teacher, her husband and their three children who were in the car, escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile, Ismail refuted claims that after the incident several of the elephants went on a rampage.

“The news which went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp are false and should be stopped as people are now afraid to use the road.

“No elephants or mother elephant went on a rampage, ” he said.

He said the location was an area where elephants and other wild animals used to roam and the herd of elephants tend to be very active from 10pm to the wee hours of the morning.