In southwestern Nepal, near a national park, an elephant has trampled two women to death. Four other people were injured by the wild animal, the police said.
The women had collected food for their cattle in a forest adjacent to the Shuklaphanta National Park. The elephant attacked them when they tried to run away, a police spokesman said. The injured were flown to neighboring India for treatment.
The National Park is a habitat for endangered species, including tigers, rhinos, swamp deer and rare bird species. Conflicts between animals and humans have increased in Nepal in recent years.
As a result, concern for the safety of people living near protected areas increased. Two weeks ago, a wild elephant had killed a 35-year-old near another national park, a 60-year-old was seriously injured.