Kanhela is a resident of West Bengal's Gorumara National Park
Early this morning, villagers at Kathambari in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, spotted the strangest sight: A full grown rhino splashing around in a canal running beside National Highway 31. Initially, they panicked but soon realised the rhino was trapped and could not climb up the canal's steep, cemented banks. They figured it had accidentally fallen into the canal.
Forest officials arrived hastily and rescue operations were launched.
A couple of elephants were brought to nudge the rhino out of the canal. But no luck.
The hundreds of onlookers who gathered at the spot agitated the rhino, which kept splashing from one side of the canal to the other. Finally the army was called in. When the last reports came in, they were still trying to get the rhino out.
This rhino is no ordinary beast. It used to be resident of the Gorumara National Park and was known for its not-so-placid disposition. His name is Kanhela which means 'bent ear". He used to get into fights with other rhinos and the sobriquet, "bent ear" was perhaps a trophy from one such fight. A year ago, he had got into a fight with other rhinos and had to flee from Gorumara for the nearby Kathambari forest.
Forest officials say chances are Kanhela got into another fight -- at least, that's what the injury on his shoulder indicates -- and fell into the canal while trying to escape.
Once rescued, he would be asked to behave and sent home safely, officials said.