Ujjain/Badnagar: In a heartbreaking conclusion to a massive rescue operation that lasted nearly 22 hours, three‑year‑old Bhagirath Dewasi died after falling into an uncovered borehole in Jhalariya village under Badnagar tehsil, approximately 75 km from Ujjain city.
The toddler, the youngest of three sons of shepherd Praveen Dewasi from Gudanla village in Pali district, Rajasthan, slipped into the borewell on Thursday evening around 7:30-8:00 pm.
“The boy is dead,” said a government official. The family had arrived in the area just three days earlier for grazing sheep.
According to family members, a sheep accidentally dislodged the stone covering the open borehole. Curious little Bhagirath approached from behind, removed the cover to peer inside, and fell into the shaft.
His mother, who was working nearby, witnessed the horrifying moment but could not reach him in time.
A large‑scale joint rescue operation was immediately launched involving the National Disaster Response Force team from Bhopal and State Disaster Response Force units from Harda, Indore, and Ujjain.
The child was trapped at a depth of approximately 70 feet (some reports mentioned up to 75 feet).
Rescue teams continuously monitored him via a camera lowered into the borewell and initially supplied oxygen to keep him stable.
Teams worked round‑the‑clock, digging a parallel pit using multiple Poclain and earth excavators. Progress slowed significantly after reaching around 40 feet due to hard rock formations.
A hammer machine was urgently called from Bhopal and Indore to break through the obstacles.
Efforts were also made to attach a rescue ring and rope to pull the child out safely.
Ujjain Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma, who was present at the site, had earlier stated, “Every possible effort is being made to bring the child out safely.”
Despite the tireless efforts of over a dozen heavy machines and specialised rescue personnel, the rescue operation ended tragically on Friday when Bhagirath was declared dead.
The exact circumstances and time of death are still being ascertained, but the prolonged entrapment and challenging rocky terrain proved insurmountable.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the village and the shepherd community. Borehole accidents involving children remain a persistent concern in rural India, often due to uncovered or poorly protected shafts in agricultural fields.
This tragedy has once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety norms, including mandatory covering of borehole and regular inspections in grazing and farming areas.
(IANS)
