Elephant turns on its heel to charge villager across fields after he hits it with a stick 

This was the moment a man instantly regretted hitting a wild elephant from behind when it turned around and began to chase him.

In footage recorded on Monday, villagers can be heard shouting for the man to run faster as the huge animal storms after him looking for revenge.

The hilarious moment was recorded on the main road through Karanjia near Mayurbhanj in eastern India.

Villagers had spotted an elephant feeding on crops, so a group of men quickly gathered to chase it away.

A few of the men, can be seen jumping up and down to hopefully ward off the elephant from the crop fields, while still maintaining a distance.

But one man, feeling a bit courageous, decides to get closer to the animal and show it who’s in charge. 

He runs up behind it with a stick and manages to deliver a few blows to shouts from spectators.

Enraged, the elephant turns on the spot and charges towards its attacker as villagers scream at him to move faster.

Eyewitnesses said that the man ran for his life before creeping under a culvert to avoid the rampaging elephant.

Honorary Wildlife Warden, Subhendu Mallik, said: ‘People should never go near an elephant as they can charge at an amazing speed, much faster than humans can flee.’

Villagers had spotted an elephant feeding on crops and a group of men quickly gathered to chase it away, jumping up and down while still maintaining their distance

One man, feeling a bit courageous, decides to get closer to the animal and show it who’s boss by landing blows on its rump with a stick