In a small town like Daltonganj, where broken bones are set right only after a visit to the state capital, a bird’s fractured leg was amputated to relieve it of its pain, as our feathered friends do not use crutches.

A cattle egret weighing 325g was amputated by a young touring mobile veterinary officer Jeeani Abha Melgandi, who had carried out the procedure in pets in the past. However, this was her maiden experience with a bird.

“On Thursday, this cattle egret, a water bird, was brought to me. A noted wildlife lover-cum-snake and bird rescuer Jyoti Kumari had brought this bird along in her lap,” said Melgandi while talking to The Telegraph Online on Sunday.

“The bird was in great agony, writhing with pain. There was a severe left leg fracture. The bird had made moved with the fractured leg, further worsening her condition,” she said.

Melgandi said she had first thought of bandaging the leg, but the fracture was severe. No external support could have made her miseries any lesser.

“The fractured leg’s lower part was becoming almost lifeless. Reflexes were missing. Amputation was the only choice with this luckless bird. I didn’t take much time and told Kumari that I will go ahead with the procedure,” said Melgandi, adding that it was not a happy choice.

“I wanted this bird to fly again and also to make her get rid of the acute trauma and shock that she was in,” she said.

The procedure took about half an hour.

“The bird was given a suspension of antibiotics and Jyoti took her back home like a good sister to a bird in distress,” said Melgandi.

Jyoti Kumari said a boy brought the injured bird to her on October 5 from Daltonganj’s Kandu Mohalla.

“I immediately telephoned a highly experienced vet doctor Vishal Patel in Gujarat and sent him the pictures of her leg via WhatsApp for advice,” she said.

Patel suggested amputation.

Kumari said she had called many local vets but to no avail.

“I then contacted Melgandi and persuaded her to take chance and risk to save her,” said Jyoti adding that the bird’s pain brought tears to her eyes.

The egret made a spectacular recovery and her recuperation has been tremendous.

Kumari said this bird is still in her cage laid in one corner of her house and that she is like any other member of our family.

She gets 6 to 7 pieces of small fish for food that Kumari arranges for her.

“I used to work as a computer operator at the Palamau Tiger Reserve, but I have been unceremoniously laid off by its officials,” said Kumari.

“The tiger reserve officials had slashed my monthly remuneration arbitrarily which I resisted, only to get out of the job and come here.”

An IFS officer, the now-retired Anil Kumar Mishra whom The Telegraph Online spoke to on Sunday, has trained Kumari.

“More than three dozen birds in distress, having physical afflictions ranging from blunt injuries down to fractures have been rescued from January to October this year by Jyoti and her team who are associated with our Adhikari Foundation For Nature Conservation,” he said.