CUTTACK : A herd of three elephants got stuck in a nullah near Beliapal village under Baramba forest range in Athagarh division here for around 11 hours on Sunday.
Sources said the jumbo herd comprising two tuskers and a female elephant strayed into Beliapal village in search of food at around 9 am. When locals started to chase them away, the elephants entered Kimbhiri nullah near the village and got stranded in the silt and mud inside the water body.
On being informed, local forest officials rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Athagarh DFO JD Pati said fire services personnel along with police and rapid response teams from Dhenkanal and Angul reached the spot. The villagers were requested not to gather at the place.
All necessary arrangements were put in place for the rescue operation. Bananas and jackfruit were fed to the elephants. Besides, an excavator machine was deployed and kept ready. At around 8.50 pm, the elephants got out of the nullah on their own and went to the nearby forest, Pati added.