Officials in Korba, Chhattisgarh, used an excavator to set free an elephant calf that was trapped in a roadside ditch.

Footage from September 15 shows the forest officials using the vehicle to push the calf towards the forest.

Once the calf managed to get free it made its way across the road back to its herd.

Premlata Yadav, the divisional forest officer, said the calf had become stuck whilst its herd crossed the road. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

A baby elephant, who had fallen and gotten stuck inside a roadside canal, was successfully rescued by forest officials in central India's Chhattisgarh.

The incident took place in Etma Nagar in Korba district of the state on September 15.

Visuals showed a forest worker pushing the baby elephant out of the canal, as others clapped and cheered him on.

Another visual showed two excavators trying to push an elephant toward the forests.

Traffic congestion was also noticed, as vehicular movement stalled while officials carried out the rescue.

According to reports, forest officials from Katghora forest division, under the leadership of Ranger Manish Singh and Ranger Abhishek Dubey, carried out the rescue operation.

They said that a herd of 21 elephants was crossing the road when the baby fell down and got stuck, prompting the rescue.

Speaking to Newslions, Katghoda DFO (divisional forest officer) Premlata Yadav said, fortunately, no untoward incident was reported.