Wild Elephant Attack on Pathlaiya–Nijgadh Road Leaves Truck Driver Dead

Kathmandu, November 10

A wild elephant roaming the Pathlaiya–Nijgadh stretch of the East–West Highway in Bara district claimed the life of a truck driver on Monday morning, according to police.

The elephant had been seen in Jitpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City–16 since Sunday evening, triggering fear among residents and travellers. Authorities had issued warnings and urged motorists to take alternative routes, but some vehicles continued to use the highway.

At around 8 am on Monday, the elephant charged at a truck (Na 4 Kha 1830). The driver, 40-year-old Rajkumar Chaudhary of Jitpursimara–1, attempted to jump out to escape but died on the spot after the attack.

The elephant continued to move aggressively between Piluwa and Nijgadh, causing traffic disruptions along the busy highway. Police later deployed teams equipped with trained elephants from Bara and Chitwan to push the wild elephant back into the forest.

Traffic along the East–West Highway resumed at approximately 12:30 pm, Bara Police confirmed.