Bhubaneswar, Feb. 18 -- An elephant was successfully rescued after remaining trapped for nearly two hours in a small pond in Odisha's Sundargarh district on Wednesday morning.

The incident took place in Goldaru village under the Birmitrapur Range. According to sources, the elephant had entered the village early in the morning to feed on crops in nearby agricultural fields. While villagers attempted to drive it away, the animal reportedly slipped into a small pond located in the middle of the farmland and became stuck.

Upon receiving information, forest officials immediately rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation with the assistance of local residents. A JCB machine was deployed to dig out soil and create a gradual slope, all...