Daijiworld Media Network – Ambala

Ambala, Jul 1: A four-year-old boy who fell into a 220-foot-deep open borewell in Haryana's Ambala district died after rescuers pulled him out following a 21-hour multi-agency rescue operation early Wednesday.

The child, identified as Nirvair Singh, was brought out of the borewell at around 3.40 am and rushed to the Civil Hospital in Ambala Cantonment, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The incident occurred at around 6.30 am on Tuesday in Dhaneora village.

According to family members, Nirvair had accompanied his father, Manjit, to the fields to deliver food to his grandfather, Karnail Singh. While the adults were working, the child wandered off to play.

The family said Nirvair began throwing soil into an open borewell and reportedly leaned over to look inside. The wet ground around the opening gave way, causing him to fall into the narrow shaft.

After hearing a loud sound, the family rushed to the spot and attempted to rescue the child before alerting the authorities at around 7.30 am.

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Army launched an intensive operation. Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomar, who monitored the rescue, said the borewell was around nine inches in diameter and approximately 220 feet deep.

Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij also visited the site on Tuesday evening to review the rescue efforts and meet the grieving family.

The deputy commissioner said police had been directed to initiate action against those responsible for leaving the borewell uncovered.

Appealing to farmers, Tomar urged them to ensure borewells are properly sealed after use, saying the tragedy could have been prevented had the borewell been covered.

The incident has revived concerns over the dangers posed by abandoned or uncovered borewells and recalled previous high-profile rescue operations involving children trapped in borewells across the country.