On November 10, 40-year-old truck driver Raj Kumar Chaudhary of Bhaktinagar in ward 1 of Jeetpursimara Sub-metropolitan City was killed after a wild elephant attacked him on the Pathlaiya–Nijgadh section of the East–West Highway.

The elephant that came out of the forest reportedly attacked Chaudhary’s truck. He jumped out to save himself, but the animal chased him into the forest and killed him.

The highway has become increasingly dangerous as elephants frequently leave the forest and roam around the roadside areas. About a month ago, an elephant named Yamgaj blocked the Chandranigahpur–Dhansar section, halting traffic for several hours.

Wildlife-related incidents have made highway travel increasingly unsafe. Elephants from nearby national parks have recently begun causing disturbances along the route. In Rautahat, an elephant named Yamagaj sometimes enters the highway and, at other times, wanders into settlements, causing panic among locals.

Dharmendra Mishra, chief district officer of Bara, said the highway carries risks due to elephant movement. “No elephants have been seen on the highway recently. The national park team has darted the elephant,” he said. “However, the forest team remains on alert.”

On Saturday, the elephant was reportedly seen near a place called Kolbi. Bara Traffic Police have urged drivers not to stop randomly on forested stretches of the highway.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Wakil Singh, from the Highway Security and Traffic Management Office in Pathlaiya, said elephant activity has affected traffic flow.

Yamagaj, long residing in forests under Chandrapur Municipality in Rautahat, has begun entering villages and highways, destroying crops, damaging homes, and attacking people. Security personnel say the elephant now frequently blocks the highway for hours, disrupting traffic.

A year ago, a woman from Amlekhganj was killed by the same elephant while grazing goats. Following the attack on Chaudhary, a team from the National Trust for Nature Conservation in Chitwan was deployed to control the elephant.

Dr Amir Sadaula and his technical team have been trying to control the elephant for five days without success. The elephant, moving from the Parsa National Park, has been eating paddy crops, destroying homes, and attacking people in Bara, Rautahat, and Sarlahi.

The park team said lone elephants tend to be more aggressive. In the Pathlaiya–Amlekhgunj section under Parsa National Park, tigers have also repeatedly attacked people. National park staff added that elephants have been using this highway for around 50 years.

Hemanta Kumar Sah, chief of the Division Forest Office in Rautahat, said human-made structures, farms, barbed wire, and settlements have disrupted elephants’ traditional paths, increasing conflicts with humans.

Not only elephants, but smaller wildlife also pose risks to travellers. Monkeys and deer crossing roads often cause accidents, and police have yet to maintain separate records for such incidents.

On January 4, 2021, a 10-year-old tigress was killed after being hit by a car in Bara, ward 1 of Jeetpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City. A year earlier, Roshan Karki of Chandrapur-5 died in a motorcycle accident after colliding with a monkey on the Sarlahi–Bardibas section.

Highways cutting through dense Terai forests have seen a rise in such incidents in recent years. Forest officials say collisions between humans and protected wildlife on highways have increased insecurity for both.

Herd of wild elephants enter Jhapa, authorities step up patrols

A herd of wild elephants has entered the northern part of East-West Highway in Jhapa district, prompting authorities to step up patrols and public warnings. Rastriya Samachar Samiti, the national news agency, reported that the Division Forest Office has urged the local people to remain alert, stating that around 25 to 30 tuskers including calves have moved in from neighbouring Morang district.

“We have been conducting night patrols and using loudspeakers to warn communities,” said Bharat Babu Shrestha, chief of the Division Forest Office. He said the office was mapping the herd’s movement in real time and deploying teams to areas where elephants were likely to pass. “Our priority is to prevent any loss of life or property,” he added.

According to Shrestha, a larger herd of 50-60 elephants had entered Nepal around a year and a half ago through Prasadgauda in Bhanundangi, Jhapa. While about 30 elephants returned to India last year, the remaining group had been roaming forests in Morang and Sunsari. The same herd is now believed to be moving back towards India, passing through Jhapa.

The elephants are currently in the Ratuwamai forest area of Shivasatakshi Municipality. The elephant movements along the Nepal-India border have increased in recent years due to habitat disturbance and shrinking forest corridors in both countries, often leading to crop damage and occasional human-elephant conflict. According to Shrestha, the herd typically rests in community forests during the day and moves at night. Authorities expect the elephants to return to India via Prasadgauda within the next two days.