Forest guard injured in wild elephant attack during rescue operation in Assam's Boko

A forest guard sustained serious injuries after being attacked by a wild elephant during a rescue operation in Boko on Sunday night, July 5, officials said.

The injured forest personnel has been identified as Jayanta Kalita, who is posted with the Singra Forest Division office in Boko and is a resident of Ramdia in Hajo, Kamrup district.

According to officials, the Forest Department had launched a rescue operation after receiving information about a stranded elephant calf. During the search operation, a wild elephant suddenly charged at Kalita, inflicting severe injuries to his chest, thigh and leg.

Local residents had alerted the Forest Department after hearing the distress calls of a herd of elephants in the area. As the forest team began the search using torches, the elephant attacked the forest guard.

Kalita was immediately taken to the Boko Primary Health Centre, where he received first aid before being referred to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for advanced treatment.

Forest officials said the rescue operation for the elephant calf had to be suspended for the night due to safety concerns and the presence of wild elephants in the area.

The incident underscores the risks faced by frontline forest personnel during wildlife rescue operations amid increasing instances of human-elephant interactions in the region.