The Teesta was carrying the calf away.

Near Spur Number 12, in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district in Bengal, a few fishermen noticed the tiny elephant being pulled along by the river's current. It was barely a few days old and had already been separated from its herd.

The fishermen were out on the river when they saw it struggling in the water. They turned their boat towards the calf and followed it through the current for nearly three kilometres before they could reach it.

By then, the calf had travelled several kilometres from where its herd had attempted to cross the Teesta.

They pulled it into the boat.

In the video that followed, the exhausted calf is seen being held close by the fishermen.

For many people watching the footage, the image looked unmistakably like a hug.

The moment has since travelled far beyond the river.

Shared widely on social media, it has drawn praise for the fishermen who went after the calf and for the forest officials who helped reunite it with its mother.

For a newborn elephant calf, the Teesta River became a terrifying journey away from his mother.Only 3–4 days old, he was swept nearly 5 km downstream by the river’s powerful currents while crossing with his mother.As the calf struggled to stay afloat, five local fishermen… pic.twitter.com/JqgBhJvmtT — The Better India (@thebetterindia) September 22, 2026

For a newborn elephant calf, the Teesta River became a terrifying journey away from his mother.Only 3–4 days old, he was swept nearly 5 km........

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