Dibrugarh: A firefighter is battling for his life in a hospital after being attacked by a domesticated elephant while attempting to feed it biscuits on Saturday morning.The victim has been identified as Lachit Kalita (32), a resident of Sipajhar and an employee at the Fire and Emergency Services station in Moran, Dibrugarh.The incident occurred around 8 am near the fire station premises. According to sources, Kalita approached an elephant tethered near the office and began feeding it biscuits. In a sudden move, the animal wrapped its trunk around the firefighter and crushed him, resulting in multiple rib fractures.Colleagues who witnessed the incident rushed to his aid and immediately transported him to the Moran Health Centre. Following an X-ray, doctors discovered that several of his ribs had been broken. Given the critical nature of his injuries, he was later shifted to a private hospital in Dibrugarh, where he is currently receiving intensive care.Describing the sequence of events, a colleague of the injured firefighter recounted the incident.“We had gone to have tea in the morning when we saw our colleague, Kalita, coming with biscuits in his hand. He went to feed the elephant that was tied up near the station out of affection. While he was feeding the biscuits, the elephant suddenly grabbed him with its trunk and crushed his chest, breaking his ribs. Somehow, he managed to pull himself away and was sitting on a chair in the office when we found him. He was facing difficulty in breathing. We immediately took him to Moran health centre, from where he was referred to Dibrugarh for advanced care. He is currently being treated in the ICU,” the colleague said.Locals expressed shock over the incident, noting that despite being regularly tethered near the Fire Services office, the elephant had never displayed aggressive behaviour towards anyone in the past. Following the unfortunate attack, the elephant was removed from the location by its Mahout to prevent further incidents. Kalita’s condition remains critical as doctors continue to monitor his progress.