Infamous elephant blamed for 25 deaths stalks and kills four members of same family over 14 years

A notorious elephant blamed for killing 25 people has taken the lives of four members of the same Nepalese family over 14 years, even after the survivors moved miles away to escape it.

The ordeal began in December 2012, when the wild male elephant, named Dhurbe, trampled Shanichara Bote’s parents, Budhiram and Jharali, near Chitwan National Park.

Shanichara subsequently sold his property and relocated his family from Madi to Jagatpur, crossing two rivers and moving around nine miles away in the hope of avoiding further encounters with dangerous wildlife.

However, on July 4, 2026, Dhurbe allegedly broke through the walls of the family’s new home and killed Shanichara’s 25-year-old daughter-in-law, Ashika Bote, and four-year-old grandson, Bharat Bote.

Tracking data from the elephant’s satellite collar reportedly placed Dhurbe directly around the site of the attack that night.

“We believed that moving across the major rivers would keep us safe,” Shanichara said. “There is nowhere left for us to run.”

The two deaths brought the number of people officially killed by Dhurbe to 25 since 2010, according to Chitwan National Park officials. Two military personnel tasked with protecting the park are reportedly among its victims.

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Authorities launch 24-hour operation to capture killer elephant Dhurbe

Chitwan National Park has now deployed park officials, veterinarians, Nepalese Army personnel and conservation technicians in a round-the-clock effort to capture the elephant.

Dhurbe has continued damaging homes since the fatal attack, but authorities say it has evaded them by hiding deep inside the forest during daylight hours before entering nearby settlements at night. Dense vegetation and monsoon conditions have also complicated the search.

Officials plan to tranquilize Dhurbe, shorten its tusks and install a new tracking collar capable of transmitting its location every 15 minutes. The device also includes geofencing technology designed to warn response teams when the elephant approaches populated areas.

Dhurbe has survived previous efforts to stop it. After 15 deaths were attributed to the elephant in 2012, authorities launched a two-week military operation and reportedly wounded it, but Dhurbe escaped before reappearing in 2016.

While elephants can be peaceful creatures, they have been known for violence from time to time.

Earlier this year, a millionaire hunter was trampled to death by five elephants in Africa during a hunting trip.