This is the heroic moment rescuers saved a mother cow that was stuck in a septic tank in India.

Concerned residents spotted the animal and promptly alerted rescuers on December 1.

The non-profit organisation Atal Kamdhenu Gau Sewa Sansthan, led by President Gaurav Mishra, launched a rescue operation that lasted nearly two hours.

Footage shows the distressed cow lying helplessly in the tank as volunteers tie a rope around its body in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.

Using a pole and cord, the team carefully pulled the animal to safety.

Authorities said the creature was relocated to a nearby facility, where it will be examined for any injuries.

India has hundreds of thousands of cows roaming its streets.

It is partly due to devout locals who follow Hindu customs, with cows regarded as sacred animals that cannot be eaten or slaughtered once they have stopped producing milk. The majority of states ban the sale or slaughter of cows.

Instead of dealing with the economic burden of keeping their spent cattle, many farmers let the beasts roam the streets - leading to chaos when the animals become agitated and turn their fury on humans.