KATHMANDU, JULY 5

A 25-year-old woman and her four-year-old son were killed when a wild elephant attacked their home in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23, Belhatta, on Saturday night.

The victims have been identified as Ashika Bote and her son Bharat, who died on the spot while they were asleep inside their thatched house, according to District Police Office spokesperson DSP Chandra Bhushan Yadav.

According to DSP Yadav, Ashika's husband, Purna Bote, lit a fire in an attempt to drive the elephant away. However, the flames spread and partially burned their thatched house before being brought under control by police and local residents.

Police are investigating the incident, which is the latest in a series of human-wildlife conflicts reported from settlements bordering forest areas in Chitwan.