Three wild elephants, including a calf, who had strayed inside the Karala Valley Tea Garden on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri town, kept the area abuzz all through Monday, more so as the calf had fallen into a large pit.
Foresters rescued the elephant calf from the pit while two other elephants stood nearby.
Sources said that on Sunday night, the elephants entered the Karala Valley garden. The calf fell into a pit near a burial ground inside the garden, and despite attempts, failed to climb out.
Tea workers noticed some movement inside the pit while heading to work on Monday morning. On approaching, they saw the calf trapped inside and two adult elephants standing at some distance.
Hundreds from the garden and its surroundings swarmed the site to catch a glimpse of the elephants. Kotwali police and foresters from Baikunthapur, Gorumara and Jalpaiguri divisions had to urge crowds to maintain a safe distance from the jumbos.
Using an earthmover, forest officials cut away soil to pave way for a slope into the pit, enabling the calf to finally come out. The adult elephant duo kept standing where they were.
The rescued calf moved restlessly across various parts of Karala Valley and neighbouring Danguajhar tea estates. It finally stood at a spot at the Danguajhar tea estate. Its activities drew more crowds, even from Jalpaiguri town.
The adult elephants, however, kept standing near the pit at the Karala Valley estate.
Foresters and cops had to repeatedly disperse people to prevent human-animal conflict at both sites. Despite several attempts by forest staff, the rescued calf could not be reunited with the other two.
“Three elephants entered the tea estate, one fell into a pit and was successfully rescued. Our staff are monitoring all three elephants,” said Dipen Tamang, the additional divisional forest officer of Baikunthapur forest division.
Elephant near college
Around 8.45pm on Monday, an adult elephant was spotted near Ananda Chandra College, Jalpaiguri, off NH27. It was not confirmed if this was one of the two adult elephants standing at the Karala Valley estate or a different jumbo.