An elephant calf fell into an abandoned well near Bijamal village under Muribahal forest range in Bolangir district on Thursday morning.
Local villagers spotted the calf and immediately informed the Forest Department.
Forest officials rushed to the site along with firefighters from Muribahal. The team launched a rescue operation and worked tirelessly for several hours. Eventually, they managed to pull the calf out of the well.
During the operation, the calf attacked Forester Pradeep Nath of Gudighat Kendu Leaf Range, leaving him seriously injured. Authorities shifted him to Kantabanji hospital for treatment.
Reports confirmed that a herd of nearly 40 elephants has been roaming across villages in the Muribahal range for the past few months. On Wednesday night, the calf strayed near Bijamal village and accidentally fell into the abandoned well.
Residents expressed concern that the movement of wild elephants near villages continues to pose risks to human lives and property. Forest officials acknowledged the challenge and assured that they are monitoring the herd closely.
The incident highlighted the growing human‑elephant conflict in Bolangir district. Authorities stressed the need for preventive measures, including filling abandoned wells and strengthening awareness among villagers to reduce such accidents.
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