CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Bhaskar on Sunday confirmed that a robotic machine with a thermal imaging system was used to check two-year-old Sujith's temperature. The readings did not reveal anything about his condition though.
"The machine was brought yesterday and the heat inside the tunnel was monitored. The readings may tell whether the boy can be saved if retrieved, but nothing about the health condition," the minister said.
Rescue efforts continued for the third day to save the toddler who fell into an abandoned borewell in a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli district. The toddler fell into a 600-feet borewell in front of his house on Friday night while playing with cousins. While Sujith was initially spotted at a depth of 27-feet, he later sunk as low as 100-feet.
Officials are now digging a 110-feet hole from the side of the deep well to rescue the boy. Though the drilling started early on Sunday neared the 35-feet mark but according to the health minister, it will take another 7-8 hours to reach the boy.
"The rock bed is really hard. Right now, the current machine can drill 2 meters in one hour, the new machine (which is expected shortly) can work three times faster," added the health minister.
The health minister said, "Through the footage we have now, we have access to his fingertips. No breathing or movement has been seen since Saturday morning. He could be unconscious."
Despite running beyond 43 hours, the rescue operation is still on to retrieve Sujith.
READ HERE | TN borewell horror: Drilling underway as rescue ops cross 40-hour mark, still no sign of Sujith
(With online desk inputs)