A nine-year-old boy died in Rajasthan’s Phalodi district after falling into a 1,050-foot-deep borewell, bringing a nearly 39-hour rescue operation to a tragic end early Saturday. Despite sustained efforts by disaster-response teams and the local administration, rescuers were unable to save the child.
The boy was finally brought out of the borewell at around 3:30 am on Saturday and immediately taken to a government hospital in Lohawat. Doctors examined him and declared him dead on arrival.
The incident took place in Nosar village in the Lohawat area of Phalodi district on Thursday. According to police, the child was the son of farmer Pancharam Bhil and had been playing near his family’s agricultural field when he accidentally fell into the open borewell.
Borewell left open during repair work
Police said the borewell’s pump had developed a technical fault and had been removed for repairs. The opening was consequently left exposed. The child reportedly fell into the shaft while playing nearby.
The accident triggered an emergency response, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police personnel and local officials joining the rescue operation.
The rescue teams faced considerable difficulties because of the extraordinary depth of the borewell. The child was believed to be trapped hundreds of feet below the surface, making direct access extremely difficult.
Rocks, water and unstable soil slowed rescue
Rescuers encountered large rocks inside the borewell that obstructed efforts to reach the child. Water accumulation inside the shaft further complicated the operation and created additional risks for the teams working at the site.
Authorities also attempted to create a parallel shaft beside the borewell using heavy machinery. However, unstable soil conditions and technical challenges slowed excavation and made the operation more difficult.
The rescue effort continued through Thursday and Friday, with teams working for several hours to establish a safe route to the child. District Collector Ankit Kumar Singh and Superintendent of Police Aditya Kakde monitored the operation as officials coordinated the efforts of different agencies.
After nearly 39 hours, rescuers succeeded in bringing the child out of the borewell early Saturday. He was transported to the government hospital in Lohawat, but medical personnel could not revive him.
Tragic reminder of borewell safety risks
The Phalodi incident has once again highlighted the dangers posed by uncovered and inadequately secured borewells, particularly in rural areas where agricultural wells are frequently used for irrigation.
Open borewells can become extremely hazardous when pumps or other equipment are removed for maintenance. A narrow, deep shaft can leave little room for conventional rescue methods, while soil instability, rocks and water can significantly increase the complexity of emergency operations.
The tragedy also comes shortly after another borewell incident involving a nine-year-old boy in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. On August 31, a child fell into an open borewell while attempting to retrieve a kite in Butoli village. In that case, rescuers managed to bring the boy out safely after an operation lasting around five hours.
The latest death has renewed concerns over the need for greater caution around open borewells and stronger safety measures whenever irrigation infrastructure is undergoing repair or maintenance.