Elephant and calf rescued from 22-feet deep well

An elephant and its calf were saved from a 22-feet deep well in Odisha's Sundargarh district today, forest officials said.

Both the animals fell into the well near Jhirpani village under Lathikata police station limits early this morning and battled for survival throughout the day, said P K Dhal, forest officer, Rourkela.

It is believed that the pachyderms had come with a herd from the nearby Renjada forest last night but the mother-calf duo accidentally fell into the well, he said.

Forest officials rushed to the spot and filled the well with three truck loads of boulders, enabling them to climb outside, Dhal said adding, both the animals went into the jungle in the afternoon.