Guwahati, July 6: A forest guard was seriously injured after being attacked by a wild elephant during an operation to rescue an elephant calf in Assam’s Boko on Sunday night, underscoring the risks faced by frontline wildlife personnel.

The injured forest battalion member, Jayanta Kalita, attached to the Singra Forest Division, sustained severe injuries to his chest, thigh and leg when an adult elephant suddenly charged at the rescue team.

According to forest officials, the department launched the operation after local residents alerted them about the distress calls of an elephant herd and a stranded calf in the area. As the team began searching the forest with torches, the elephant attacked Kalita.

He was initially taken to the Boko Primary Health Centre for first aid before being referred to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for specialised treatment.

Forest officials said the rescue operation for the elephant calf had to be suspended for the night due to safety concerns posed by the agitated herd.

The incident once again highlights the dangers faced by forest personnel responding to human-elephant conflict situations in Assam, where rescue operations often require teams to work in close proximity to wild elephant herds under challenging conditions.