A four-year-old boy who fell into a freshly dug well while playing near his home in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district was safely rescued after an intense nine-hour operation involving several rescue agencies and local volunteers, officials said.
The accident occurred on Friday night at Chak Samana village, located near Bhikwal along the Hoshiarpur-Dasuya road.
The boy, identified as Gurkaran Singh, was trapped inside the well at a depth of 20 to 30 feet, officials said.
Rescue teams took him out at around 12:40 a.m. and immediately took him to the hospital for medical examination and treatment.
After his rescue, members of the National Disaster Response Force carried him in his arms. Although the boy’s face was covered in dirt, he appeared stable.
The child’s family and villagers embraced the NDRF personnel and other rescuers profusely, thanking them for their efforts in the entire rescue operation.
NDRF Deputy Commander Pankaj Sharma told PTI Videos that the child’s condition is stable. He pointed out that the rescue operation was difficult due to the soft soil that continued to collapse. “Our rescuers made a commendable effort throughout the entire rescue operation,” he added.
Officials said the operation was a collaborative effort involving teams from NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Punjab Police, district administration officials, fire brigade personnel and local volunteers.
Punjab Minister Rafjot Singh and AAP MP Raj Kumar Chhabiwal remained present at the site throughout the rescue operation and monitored the efforts.
Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said that the administration acted upon receiving information about the incident around 4pm.
She said that the child slipped into an open well adjacent to the family home.
According to officials, the well was commissioned recently, and work on filling it with gravel and surrounding soil is still pending.
Jain said that rescue teams initially lowered a camera and an oxygen tube into the well to monitor the child’s condition and ensure oxygen supply.
She added: “The child’s movements were clearly visible in the footage at first, which helped rescuers assess the situation.”
Soft soil later fell into the well, making camera monitoring difficult and further complicating the operation, officials said.
The deputy commissioner said rescuers dug a parallel hole about 25 to 30 feet deep before creating a narrow tunnel to reach the child safely.
Heavy machinery, including earth-moving equipment, was arranged by the administration and local villagers, officials said.
They described the soil as sandy in nature, which posed a challenge because it collapsed frequently. Care was taken to use the machines with caution, to ensure that soil did not fall on the child and endanger his safety.
Jain said more than 40 NDRF personnel participated in the rescue efforts.
She thanked the NDRF, SDRF, Punjab Police, civil administration officials, medical teams, volunteers and local residents for their coordinated efforts and commitment to ensuring the safe rescue of the child.
Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Kumar Malik praised the rescue teams, noting that their dedication and teamwork were vital in saving the child’s life.
Earlier in the operation, the administration had also summoned the child’s mother to the site and asked her to speak to him so that he could hear a familiar voice and remain calm.
He was supplied with oxygen through a tube in the well.
Minister Ravjot Singh said that medical and emergency teams remained on standby throughout the operation to provide immediate treatment to the child after his rescue.
MP Chabiwal described this mission as a very sensitive and challenging rescue mission, and said that the continuous efforts made by all agencies helped in the success of the operation.
Large numbers of local residents gathered near the site while rescue teams continued their operations throughout the night.
