Rescue operation on to take out Chetna from 700-ft deep borewell in Rajasthan
Jaipur: Efforts were on to take out three-year-old Chetna, who fell into a 700-ft deep borewell in Kiratpura in Rajasthan’s Kotputli with the rescue team now using the ‘hook technique’, said officials on Tuesday.
Locally termed “Jugaad”, the rescue teams will try to pull out the girl with the help of a hook attached to a rod.
The child fell in the borewell on Monday and got stuck at 150 feet. Since then the rescue team has managed to bring her up by 40 ft with this hook technique.
NDRF-SDRF senior officers are supervising the operation from outside the borewell. Within the first hour, Chetna was pulled up about 15 feet. An ambulance is on standby in case of an emergency. She had been pulled up 40 feet till the time of filing this report, said officials.
According to NDRF in-charge Yogesh Meena, Chetna had been stuck around 154-155 feet in depth. After lifting her by about 1.5 feet, the surrounding soil shifted. A J-hook (umbrella system) was attached, and an L-band was positioned to prevent her from sliding back down. The girl is trapped at a point where the soil ends and hard stone begins, making it challenging to pull her out. However, efforts continue to secure the L-band around her.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Brijesh Chaudhary assured that all possible measures are being taken to rescue Chetna safely, and the operation has been ongoing throughout the night. Due to wet soil and some swampy conditions below, the operation is facing some hurdles. However, a ring has been placed beneath her to assist in the rescue, and she is being supplied with oxygen.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Sub Inspector Ravi Kumar emphasised that all agencies involved — NDRF, Civil Defence, and local authorities — are putting in their best efforts to rescue Chetna. Historically, similar operations were carried out by the Army, but now the NDRF and Civil Defence have sufficient resources to handle such situations, he said.
Chetna fell into the borewell while playing around 2 p.m. on Monday.
The girl has been stuck in the borewell, enduring hunger and thirst. Despite two failed attempts, the rescue teams succeeded on the third try, using an improvised technique. Before proceeding, the authorities obtained permission from Chetna’s family, acknowledging that the administration wouldn’t be held responsible if the child got hurt during the rescue.
At this point, Chetna’s rescue from the 700-foot borewell seems imminent, as the team continues to employ the “Jugaad” method to bring her to safety, said officials.