Fishermen rescue newborn elephant calf from Teesta River

Fishermen in West Bengal rescued a newborn elephant calf from the Teesta River on September 21, 2026, and the animal was reunited with its mother, officials and witnesses said. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. near Gajoldoba in the Baikunthapur Forest Division of Jalpaiguri district, when an elephant herd was attempting to cross the Teesta River. A calf, reported as three to four days old, became separated from its mother and was carried away by the strong current. Members of the North Bengal Fishermen's Forum spotted the struggling calf near the Teesta Barrage and set out by boat from KrantiPunjab Dam to reach it. Reports differ on the distance travelled, with accounts ranging from nearly 4km to nearly 5km. The rescuers named in the accounts were Mithu Das, Rajesh Das, Biswanath Das, Gopal Das and Bablu Das. Sources differ on how the calf was pulled from the water. Two accounts say the fishermen lifted the exhausted animal onto their boat themselves, while another says the fishermen alerted forest officials, who then carried out the rescue. One account states the calf was handed over to officials of the Kathambari Range of the Forest Department after reaching the bank.