KOZHIKODE: The wild elephant rescued from the deep well at Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode died here Sunday. The elephant rescued after 14-hour long rescue operations on Friday was sent back to the forest. Though he was drove back to the forest, he was in a very weak condition and collapsed nearby. Dehydration worsened the condition of the elephant.

He was treated by a team led by the veterinary surgeon. The forest department provided medicines and water. The forest department expected the elephant to go back to the forest the next morning. It was first reported that the elephant did not sustain any major injuries in the fall.

The elephant fell into a deep well at Muthappanpuzha near Anakkampoyil in the eastern hill areas of Kozhikode. As the accident spot was in a hillock in a remote area, it took a long time for the rescue team to reach the spot with the required accessories and rescue vehicle. The elephant was rescued after bringing an earth mover to the spot and digging trench like slope into the well. The locals had said that it had been three days since the elephant fell into the well.

The locals and the forest joined rescue operations. The locals said that nearly 15 families had stayed here before. They deserted the place and left due to the nuisance of wild animals.