Four Elephants Rescued After Falling into Well in Chhattisgarh; Villagers Initially Refuse to Help Forest Team

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Balodabazar (Chhattisgarh): A dramatic four-hour rescue operation unfolded late Monday night in Chhattisgarh’s Balodabazar district, when four elephants, including two calves, accidentally fell into an abandoned well near Hardi village, close to the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary. Using two JCB machines and ropes, forest officials managed to rescue all the elephants safely after a tense struggle that lasted several hours.

Villagers Protest, Refuse to Assist Rescue Team

When the Forest Department team reached the site early Tuesday morning, local villagers opposed the operation and initially refused to help. The residents alleged that a few days earlier, a farmer had been killed in an elephant attack, but no forest official had visited the area then. “When a human died, no one came. Now that elephants are in trouble, everyone has shown up,” angry villagers said.

Four-Hour Operation with 2 JCBs and Rope Support

The rescue began around 8 a.m. and continued till noon. The well, around 25 feet deep, had slippery, overgrown edges, making the task extremely challenging. The Balodabazar Forest Division and Barnawapara Sanctuary team coordinated the rescue using JCB machines to break one side of the well and create a gradual slope for the elephants to climb out.

The two calves were rescued first, followed by an adult female and a male elephant. Once out, the exhausted elephants stood still for a while before slowly walking back into the nearby forest.

Officials’ Statement

Barnawapara SDO Krishnu Chandrakar said, “The well was nearly invisible from above as bushes had grown over it. It seems the herd came to drink water and slipped in accidentally.”

Frequent Elephant Movement in the Area

Forest officials confirmed that a herd of 28 elephants has been roaming around the Barnawapara forest region for the past two months, moving through villages such as Hardi, Tenganmara, Bar, Amodi, and Sugandhiya. The department has since issued warnings to nearby villages and advised people to stay alert and avoid venturing close to the herd’s movement routes.

The incident once again highlights the growing human-elephant conflict in Chhattisgarh and the urgent need for better coordination between villagers and forest authorities to ensure safety for both humans and wildlife.