3 elephants fall into well in Chhattisgarh wildlife sanctuary, rescued
Balodabazar(PTI): Three elephants fell into a well at Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh, prompting a major rescue operation that lasted nearly three hours before they were safely pulled out using a makeshift ramp on Tuesday, officials said.
The elephants -- an adult female, her calf, and a juvenile male -- had accidentally fallen into the well at the farmland of a resident in Hardi village in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Arun Kumar Pandey told PTI.
The well lacked an outer boundary wall. Forest officials earlier said four elephants had fallen into the well.
Some locals spotted the elephants struggling inside the well early in the morning and immediately alerted the forest department. Senior forest officials, along with rescue teams, rushed to the site and an operation was launched to save the jumbos, Pandey said.
Earth-excavator machines were deployed, and a ramp was constructed, following safety protocols, by digging the sides of the well to allow the pachyderms to climb out safely, said Balodabazar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dhammhil Ganveer, who guided the rescue operation.
The three elephants were rescued after a two-and-a-half-hour-long operation, without any injury, and later released into a nearby forest area, where they rejoined their herd, he said.
"The forest department's responsibility is not limited to protecting wildlife, rather, safeguarding every life is our priority. This rescue operation in Hardi village is an excellent example of the department's swift response, collective dedication, and the efficiency of the field team," Ganveer said.
The Balodabazar forest division continues to strengthen its rapid rescue response system, enhance field team training, and build stronger coordination with local communities to effectively handle such emergencies in the future, he added.
Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Satovisha Samajdar visited the site and supervised the rescue operation.
The department has been working to cover open wells across all forest divisions with iron grills using CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) funds, to prevent such accidents in the future, Pandey said.
Raipur-based wildlife activist Nitin Singhvi, however, blamed the forest department for the incident and called it "gross negligence".
Singhvi said that he has been urging authorities since 2018 to cover or secure open and abandoned wells located in and around forest areas to prevent such accidents.
Taking cognizance of his concern, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had written to the Chhattisgarh government in 2021, directing action to close unsafe wells. Later, in 2022, following his representation, the central government issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories, instructing them to ensure that open wells were properly covered or fenced, he claimed.
Despite these repeated warnings, the state forest department has taken no substantial action to obtain budgetary support for securing these wells, he said.
As per his estimate, there are more than 25,000 open and dry wells within and around forest areas across the state.
"In 2024, using CAMPA funds, only 450 wells were secured, and that too only in Kanker district," he claimed, adding that the lack of consistent efforts has left wildlife at serious risk.
4 elephants including 2 calves fell in open well with water filled about 6 ft at Barnawapara area, some 100 km from #Chhattisgarh capital. The rescue operation has begun. @moefcc (Centre) in Feb 2022 asked all states (chief wildlife warden) to cover open wells to protect… pic.twitter.com/4990DDHEH2
— Ejaz Kaiser (@KaiserEjaz) November 4, 2025
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
