6-year-old falls into borewell in Hoshiarpur, dies

Our Correspondent

Garhdiwala (Hoshiarpur), May 22

A six-year-old boy died hours after falling into a 300-ft borewell in Hoshirapur’s Bairampur Khyala village on Sunday. He was rescued after eight hours and rushed to a hospital, but was declared dead.

The deceased has been identified as Hrithik Roshan, son of migrant labourer Rajendra Kumar of Shekhupura Khas in UP’s Moradabad. The family lives in a slum at Dhuriyan village. At the time of the incident, Rajendra had gone to UP.

The incident took place around 10 am when Hrithik was playing with his siblings and his mother along with her family was working in fields. Suddenly, some stray dogs started chasing Hrithik, who ran and climbed a borewell, which was covered

with a sack that couldn’t withstand his weight and gave in, causing him to fall. The boy got trapped at a depth of about 100 feet.

Notably, the shaft was used for routine irrigation but it was opened for repairs on Saturday only. Also, the pipe of the borewell was around 3-ft high above the ground and was covered with a sack.

Children accompanying Hrithik informed his parents about the accident. After getting information, residents of Bairampur and Khyala villages as well as nearby areas rushed to the spot to rescue the boy. An NDRF team was also called into rescue the boy. A team of doctors was present on the spot. A team of Baba Deep Singh Sevadal Welfare Society brought cylinders and oxygen was provided to the boy through a pipe.

Around 6 pm, the NDRF team pulled out the boy by putting a noose around his hand with the help of a pipe and a rope. Hrithik was immediately rushed to the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital in an unconscious state. Doctors tried to revive him, but declared him dead later.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans said: “The boy died of asphyxiation. As he was stuck in the borewell for a long time, his survival seemed difficult. It’s an unfortunate incident.”

“Action will be initiated against the landowner after a police probe and the post-mortem examination of the boy,” the DC added.

Govt ordered plugging of all openings in ’19

• After a boy died in a similar incident in Sangrur, then CM Capt Amarinder Singh had ordered plugging of all open borewells in 2019
• A letter was issued to all DCs to rope in various departments to undertake immediate measures to fill and plug such borewells
• In the order, the DCs were asked to initiate criminal action against people who won’t plug borewells
• In case of any mishap, the landowner will attract fine and a case will be lodged under the IPC, the order added

CM mourns death

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took to Twitter to mourn the death of six-year-old Hrithik Roshan. CM Mann also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the family of the deceased boy.

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