A male elephant killed two villagers in a hormone-induced rampage in northern Thailand.

The bull named Plai Boonmee trampled his mahout to death while hauling logs through a forest in Uttaradit province on October 10.

Plai Boonmee then trudged toward the edge of the woods, where he turned his fury on another villager who crossed his path.

The attacks sparked fear among residents in the remote village.

Rescuers battled to recover the victims' bodies, deploying a drone to monitor the tusker still roaming the area.

The bodies were successfully retrieved and handed over to their families.

Wildlife officers spent two days tracking Plai Boonmee before managing to sedate him with tranquiliser darts on October 12. The jumbo was then taken to a secure area patrolled by guards.

Local authorities discussed safety measures with residents to prevent similar incidents from happening.

Thailand has an estimated 4,000 elephants in captivity. They are put to work in the logging industry, at tourism resorts or kept privately for use at religious events and rituals.

A number of rescued elephants also live in sanctuaries, where they can wander through enclosed land.

However, there is ongoing debate about the treatment of all captive elephants, with organisations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) calling for their release.

Musth is a period of heightened aggression in male elephants caused by a surge in testosterone, often making them violent and unpredictable. The condition is marked by fluid secretions from glands near the eyes.