The rescue operation to save a six-year-old, who fell into a borewell in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district and is stuck at a depth of 40 feet, has crossed 70 hours. Rescuers, parallel to the borewell, have managed to dig around 35 feet deep till Friday evening and are continuing efforts to rescue the child.
CCTV cameras were installed to monitor the child's movements and oxygen is being supplied to him, however, "no response was noticed since Tuesday evening". The officials were yet to make any final statement of the present status of the boy.
Officials claimed that the digging of the tunnel was slow due to hard rock and water coming out from it. "Its a hard rock area that is creating hurdles for digging tunnels. In the meantime, rescuers would have to remove water coming from the tunnel. They would also have to ensure that borewell does not get any damage," said Minister In-charge Inder Singh Parmar, who visited at the spot late on Friday.
Parmar told media persons that rescue teams are working "relentlessly" to ensure the safety of the child. Rock and water imitating from the tunnel are delaying the process, he said, adding that a team of doctors was present at the spot to monitor the boy's health.
The boy fell into a borewell on Tuesday evening, while he was playing outside his home. During the visit, Parmar also met with the boy's family and assured them that a case would be registered against the owner of the borewell.
(With inputs from IANS)