Rescue efforts intensify to save six-year-old stuck in 400ft borewell in Karnataka
BELAGAVI: The efforts to rescue the six-year-old girl trapped in open borewell in a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district have been doubled after the rescue members were able to see the hand of the girl.
Kaveri Ajit Madar had accidentally slipped in the borewell in Zunzurwad village of Athani Taluk in Belagavi district, on Saturday evening. The rescue operation that began soon after the incident could not continue on Saturday as the digging teams could not go deeper because of a boulder.
On Sunday early morning, a specialist team from Hatti Gold Mines and members of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) arrived at the site and joined the rescue efforts. The NDRF team used air pressure method to clear the mud around the girl. According to sources, some amount of cement and mud has fallen on the girl.
"We are able see hand of the trapped girl. We cannot comment on the condition of the girl as there is mud settled over her. It is a 250 foot deep borewell and the girl is stuck somewhere between 25-30 feet in the 400-ft borewell," said a rescue team member.
Currently, 20 men from NDRF about 500 personnel from police, fire and district administration are at the site.
An official from the district administration said that all efforts are being made to retrieve the girl alive. "The chanced are slim, but we cannot rest till we reach to the girl. There has been continues supply of oxygen in the pipeline. Next few hours stand crucial," the official said.
The official also said the owner of the land will be booked for the offence. "However our priority is rescue," he clarified.