A 14-year-old boy, who became trapped inside a stone crevice in a forest in Odisha’s Nayagarh district while a python lurked nearby, was successfully rescued by fire personnel on Wednesday.
Officials said that the high-stakes rescue mission lasted six hours before the teen was safely taken out of the narrow opening.
The boy, identified as Shiba Pradhan, had entered the Kanipada forest within the Odgaon police station limits around 7 am. Accompanied by his uncle to collect honey, Shiba accidentally slipped and became wedged inside a large gap between heavy stones, according to fire service officials.
He was trapped while attempting to collect honey.
During the delicate rescue operation, teams discovered a python also inhabiting the crevice. Sudhanshu Sarangi, Director General of Odisha Fire and Emergency Services, said that the presence of the snake added a layer of extreme danger to the mission, though he expressed significant relief that the reptile did not attack the trapped boy.
“The rescue operation was challenging as the boy was surrounded by large stones and a python was present. Modern equipment was used,” Sarangi said.
“It is a matter of great relief that the snake did not attack the boy,” he added.
Upon receiving the emergency call, personnel from the Odgaon fire station were the first to reach the scene. The complexity of the situation eventually required additional reinforcement, with specialized teams from Nayagarh, Puri, and Bhubaneswar arriving to assist in the operation.
Fire service personnel removed stones from one side and successfully pulled the boy out, he said.
The boy was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical examination.
Sarangi extended his gratitude to the approximately 40 personnel who participated in the gruelling six-hour effort. In recognition of their successful life-saving work, the government has announced a total cash reward of Rs 25,000 for the rescue teams.
A fire service officer from Nayagarh highlighted that this was a first-of-its-kind operation for the local team in such a rugged, hilly forest environment. He credited the successful and unharmed recovery of the boy to the effective use of technical support and coordinated teamwork.
