Rescue efforts underway to save 2-year-old Sujith trapped in a borewell for over 75 hours

Pic courtesy: ANI

Rescue efforts supported by various government agencies and private organizations have been underway for over 75 hours, after a 2-year old boy, Sujith fell into an abandoned borewell near his home in Nadukattupatti village of Tamil Nadu’s Trichy District at around 5:30 PM Friday evening. The boy has been trapped in the bore well at a depth of around 88-feet, without food and water, but with oxygen supply.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami tweeted, “Heavy duty drilling machines and equipments have been deployed and experts from NLC, ONGC, L&T and NIT Tiruchirapalli are at site to be of guidance. Further assistance would be sought depending on the status of the rescue efforts.”

While drilling of a 11-feet deep parallel pit (6-feet away from the borewell in which the boy is trapped)has been progressing since Sunday, the efforts are being hampered by the rocky terrain. Besides rigs, borewell drilling machines are also pressed into action. The borewell drilling equipment has dug 3 holes of 6 inches diameter unto a depth of 65-feet and a rig is being used to enlarge the pit, in order to enable rescue personnel to enter the pit and reach the boy after digging a horizontal tunnel.

There has been slight rainfall in the village, but the Meteorological centre in Chennai has said that there is nil possibility of heavy rainfall in the region. Earlier in the day, Transport Secretary Dr. Radhakrishnan, IAS, had said, “Tamil Nadu government will bear all the expenses necessary for rescuing the child, there is not enough space to use the balloon rescue technology in the well. Even though there is a prediction for light rains, we will continue work with necessary arrangements.”

Three Tamil Nadu ministers are at the spot, accompanied by senior officials. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had visited the site on Monday. Members of Parliament from across party lines visited the village and expressed hope in the rescue operations. 

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had tweeted about the incident on Sunday, “While the nation celebrates Deepavali, in Tamil Nadu a race against time is underway to save baby Surjeeth, who has been trapped in a borewell since Friday. I pray that he will be rescued & reunited with his distraught parents at the earliest.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “My prayers are with the young and brave Sujith Wilson. Spoke to CM @EPSTamilNadu regarding the rescue efforts underway to save Sujith. Every effort is being made to ensure that he is safe.”

Round the clock efforts are underway with ambulances, Fire and rescue Services, NDRF and SDRF in the ready, as prayers mount for the safe recovery of Sujith Wilson.