In a remarkable rescue operation that lasted nearly nine hours, a four-year-old boy was safely pulled out from a newly dug borewell in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district late on Friday night.
The child, identified as Gurkaran Singh, fell into the open borewell while playing near his home in Chak Samana village, situated close to Bhikhowal along the Hoshiarpur-Dasuya road. He was trapped at a depth of approximately 20 to 30 feet, according to officials.
Rescue teams extracted the boy around 12:40 am and promptly rushed him to a hospital for medical evaluation and care. An NDRF personnel carried the child, whose face was smeared with soil, from the site; he appeared stable despite the ordeal.
The coordinated effort brought together multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Punjab Police, district administration, fire brigade teams, and local volunteers. Punjab minister Ravjot Singh and AAP MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal stayed at the location throughout the operation, closely monitoring progress.
Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain reported that authorities acted swiftly after receiving information about the incident around 4 pm. Rescue workers initially inserted a camera and oxygen pipe into the borewell to assess the boy’s condition and maintain oxygen supply. His movements were visible in early footage, providing critical reassurance.
Challenges arose as loose, sandy soil repeatedly collapsed into the pit, complicating visibility and operations. Teams carefully excavated a parallel shaft to a depth of about 25-30 feet and then created a narrow tunnel to reach the child. Heavy earth-moving machinery was deployed, with precautions taken to prevent further soil from falling on the boy.
More than 40 NDRF personnel participated in the mission. Officials noted the sandy terrain made the work particularly demanding, yet rescuers exercised great caution. The child’s mother was brought to the site and encouraged to speak to him, helping keep him calm, while oxygen continued to be supplied through a pipe.
Deputy Commandant NDRF Pankaj Sharma described the operation as challenging due to collapsing soil but praised his team’s dedicated efforts. Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Malik highlighted the importance of teamwork in saving the child’s life. Minister Ravjot Singh confirmed medical teams remained on standby, while MP Chabbewal called it a sensitive and complex mission successfully completed through collective hard work.
Local residents gathered in large numbers at the site, offering support and eventually celebrating the successful outcome with hugs and thanks for the rescuers. The borewell had recently become operational, but surrounding gravel and soil filling work was still incomplete at the time of the incident.