A four-year-old boy named Nirbhay fell into a 220-foot-deep borewell in Dhanaura village of Barara, Ambala, on Tuesday morning, setting off an emergency rescue operation almost exactly two decades after a similar accident in the state turned a young boy named Prince into a household name as the "borewell boy."
Officials confirmed Nirbhay slipped into the narrow shaft, just about 9 inches wide, while playing near an open field around 6.30 am. The Army, NDRF and SDRF were called in soon after, and the rescue effort was underway through the day. Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomar reached the spot shortly after the alert and confirmed specialised equipment had been deployed, with Army support brought in to assist the digging operation.
A Visit To Grandfather Turns Into A Nightmare
The morning had started like any other for the family in Dhanaura. Nirbhay's grandfather, Karnail Singh, had left early for the fields to begin his day's work. His father, Manjit, followed later, carrying food for him. Nirbhay refused to stay back and tagged along with his father.
Once they reached the field, Manjit got busy with farm work while Karnail Singh sat down to eat. Nirbhay, sitting beside his grandfather, soon wandered off to play, as children often do.
Curiosity, Wet Soil, And A Fall No One Saw Coming
It was during this playtime that the toddler noticed the open borewell nearby. Drawn by curiosity, he began tossing handfuls of soil into the hole. The ground around the borewell had turned damp and loose, and as the boy leaned in to look down, he lost his footing and slipped inside.
A loud noise was the only warning his father and grandfather got. They rushed toward the borewell and began calling out his name, but there was no response.
Family's Efforts Fail, Authorities Alerted
Panic took over as Manjit, Karnail Singh and villagers who gathered at the spot tried to pull the boy out on their own. When their attempts did not work, the family contacted the administration at around 7.30 am, roughly an hour after the fall.
DC Tomar said rescue teams swung into action immediately after being informed, and machinery along with trained personnel were mobilised to dig toward the trapped child.
Two Decades Ago, A Similar Tragedy, And A Survivor Who Beat The Odds
Nirbhay's case has revived memories of Prince, a boy from Haryana who fell into a borewell as a child and survived against all odds, going on to become known across the state as the "borewell boy."
Speaking to NDTV in a recent interview, Prince recounted how he and his friend Angrez were chasing a rat near a tubewell bore that was loosely covered with a sack. The sack tore as the boys jumped on it, and Prince plunged nearly 60 feet into the borewell while Angrez stayed safely on the edge.
Angrez's quick thinking made all the difference. He raised the alarm immediately, pulling in nearby adults and setting off a rescue mission that would stretch on for 50 intense hours before the army managed to bring Prince out alive.
Trapped Underground, A Child Held On To Hope
Prince still remembers fragments of those harrowing hours. His parents' voices reached him from above, repeating that he would be rescued. At one point, rescuers lowered a rope fitted with a bulb so he could see his surroundings and attempt to climb, but the bulb grew too hot and burned his hands, forcing him to let go.
Rescuers eventually changed tactics, digging a parallel shaft beside the borewell and using a pipe system to reach him. Food and supplies were sent down through a rope to keep him going until the army and rescue teams finally pulled him to safety.
Life After The Borewell
Two decades on, Prince is healthy and focused on building a future for himself. He completed his Industrial Training Institute (ITI) course and has been on the lookout for steady work. He once dreamed of joining the army and trained hard to build the physique for it, but fell short of the height requirement. Even so, he remains hopeful about landing a stable job and standing on his own feet.
As rescue teams in Ambala race against time to bring young Nirbhay back safely, Prince's survival two decades ago stands as a reminder that hope is not lost — even as India's open, uncovered borewells continue to pose a silent danger to children at play.
(Inputs from PTI)
