Chandigarh: A three-and-a-half-year-old boy fell into a nearly 300-foot-deep borewell while playing in Hoshiarpur on Friday evening, triggering a massive rescue operation involving multiple agencies.
According to officials, the incident took place around 4 pm. Sources said the child is believed to be trapped nearly 90 feet below the surface, though Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain stated that the boy may be stuck between 10 and 20 feet deep.
Authorities said water has accumulated inside the borewell area and movement of the child was detected through camera footage. Officials confirmed that the child appeared frightened and was crying during the rescue efforts.
The administration has deployed four JCB machines to dig a parallel pit near the borewell in an attempt to safely reach the child. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SDRF, fire brigade, medical teams and ambulances have been stationed at the site.
Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Punjab minister Ravjot Singh and SSP Sandeep Kumar Malik also reached the spot to monitor rescue operations.
Family members said the borewell had been dug nearly 15 days ago. A nearby pit had been excavated for installing pipes, but the area around the 15-inch pipe was allegedly not properly filled afterwards. The child reportedly slipped on the sandy surface while playing and fell into the gap created alongside the pipe rather than directly into the borewell shaft.
Volunteers from Baba Deep Singh Sewa Dal are also assisting the administration in rescue efforts.
The child’s mother said the boy cried out for help as he was falling. “He kept shouting ‘catch me’, and we tried to hold him, but our hands could not reach him and he slowly slipped down,” she said.
