MP: Rescue operation on for last 24 hours to save 4-year-old trapped in borewell

The presence of hard rock is impeding the rescue of the 4-year-old Roshan child who fell into a 40-foot deep open borewell on Saturday noon in Dewas district, over 153 kms from Bhopal.

The rescue operation has been going on for nearly 24 hours, with 60-member rescue team of military’s engineering wing led by Col Ajay Kumar and 15-member team of state disaster response force (SDRF) from Bhopal taking over the rescue operation on Saturday evening. The rescue operation continued throughout the night. The rescue teams have dug up to a level of around 35 feet.

The child has been trapped in the borewell for nearly 25 hours. He is being fed water and milk through a pipe, with authorities saying that his condition is stable as he is responding. The condition of the child is being monitored through a camera. On Sunday morning, a microphone was lowered into the borewell. Roshan said he be taken out and demanded milk. He also spoke to his mother.

Three earthmoving machines are digging around the borewell to reach the child. Lights were set up during the night at the spot. The crowd continues to be at the spot to see the ongoing rescue operation. The local villagers made arrangements for the officials and members of the rescue team. They provided water, tea and some refreshments to them.

Collector Dewas Ashish Singh said, “All possible efforts are being made to safely rescue Roshan. The presence of hard rock slowed our rescue operation. There was a proposal to use dynamite in a small quantity to crack open the hard rock. But we decided not to go for that option as it might endanger the life of the child”, he said.

Singh said digging will be done to a level of around 40 feet. “After that rescue teams will dig a tunnel towards the spot where Roshan is stuck in the borewell. It may take few hours more”, he said.

Around noontime on Saturday, Roshan, son of a farm labourer Bhim Singh of Umriya village, fell into the borewell while he was playing in the area. The borewell where the boy fell had been dug in the farm of one Hiralal a few weeks back. The digging had not been completed and the water level had not been reached. Villagers informed the authorities and a rescue team with doctors and an ambulance was sent from the district headquarters Dewas nearly 110 km away. District authorities sought the help of military and SDRF in the rescue operation. Both the teams reached Dewas in the evening and took over the rescue operation.