Rescuers racing against time to save toddler from borewell in Tamil Nadu | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Rescuers racing against time to save toddler from borewell in Tamil Nadu

Hindustan Times, Chennai | ByMC Rajan
Oct 28, 2019 12:13 AM IST

So far 10 attempts to rescue the child have proved futile. Incessant drizzle in the area has also hampered rescue efforts.

Rescuers are racing against time to save a two-year-old boy who fell into a 600 feet abandoned borewell near Trichy in Tamil Nadu on Friday even as special prayers are being conducted in temples, mosques and churches across the state for the rescue of Surjith Wilson.

A boring machine at work near a borewell where a two-year-old child has been stuck since Friday near Trichy.(Sourced Photo)
A boring machine at work near a borewell where a two-year-old child has been stuck since Friday near Trichy.(Sourced Photo)

Second rig started drilling nearby the tube well at around 9 pm on Sunday. It is more than 51 hours that the boy is trapped in the borewell.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Six firefighters have been ready to go down the new well before the boring machine hit the rocky terrain.

“As the boy is under 88 feet in the tube well, we have decided to trill up to 90 feet by the rig nearby the borewell,” said Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijayabhaskar who is supervising the rescue mission

Rescuers had resumed their efforts late Saturday to pull out Surjith amid signs that the well could cave in.

Rescue efforts had to be suspended for some time Saturday after the vehicle carrying the rig developed a snag 15km from the accident spot. The rig was requisitioned from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to speed up the efforts to rescue the trapped toddler, who has now slipped from the initial 25ft to 100ft.

On Saturday, Vijayabaskar had estimated that the tunneling operation could take three to four hours before rescuers could approach the child.

Surjith, the second child of his parents Britto Arockiaraj and Kala Mary, was playing when he fell into the borewell, dug for agricultural purposes in the farmland adjoining their house. The well was abandoned as there was no water in it.

The rescue operation has picked up speed after the arrival of the State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF). They joined the six teams already engaged in the marathon exercise which began around 6.30 pm on Friday.

Initially, Trichy’s superintendent of police Zia Ul Haq expressed confidence that the child, then trapped at a depth of 25 ft, would be rescued within an hour. But, it has turned out to be a huge challenge.

So far 10 attempts have been made, including four to lift the toddler through a rope with a knot, but they have proved futile. Incessant drizzle in the area has also hampered the efforts.

The latest incident has again brought to the fore the dangers of uncovered borewells as many have fallen to their deaths into them. A two-year-old boy died after he was stuck inside a borewell for nearly 110 hours in Punjab’s Sangrur in June this year.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Mukhtar Ansari Death News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On