The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Army efforts to save boy in vain

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Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Army efforts to save boy in vain

Staff Reporter

The six-year-old slipped into the borewell covered by onion waste

Last ditch efforts: Collector P. Muthuveeran, second from right, inspecting the rescue operation at Rajadhani in Andipatti union on Monday.

ANDIPATTI (THENI): After a 29-hour-long operation, four Army personnel removed the body of a six-year-old boy who fell into a 300-ft-deep dry borewell in a farm at Rajadhani near here on Monday.

Led by Commander A.T. Thomas, the team from Tiruchi reached the spot around 4.30 p.m. and pulled the body out of the well using a large rod tipped with blunt hooks at 7 p.m. The body was caught at a depth of 90 feet.

The deceased, Mayi Irulan, went to the farm by 2.30 p.m. on Sunday to see his mother engaged in onion harvesting. Since the mouth of the borewell was covered with onion waste, the boy slid into it.

The fire service personnel started the rescue operation around 6.45 p.m. They used earth moving equipment to dig a pit near the well. But initial efforts were in vain as the rocky surface beneath the soil disrupted the operation. They could not proceed without using detonators to break the rocks.

Collector P. Muthuveeran sought the help of the Army. He has ordered for the closure of all unused borewells immediately failing which stern action will be initiated against farm owners. Moreover, farmers and residents must get prior permission from revenue officials before digging borewell.

Mayi was the second son of Alagammal-Ettappan couple, both agriculture labourers and native of Thoppupatti. Acting on a complaint by the parents, the owners of the land were arrested. Local people informed that the well mouth was covered with a sack this morning and oxygen was not supplied into the well at night to save the child.

The Andipatti union has over 140 dry borewells. One boy at Asaripatti faced a similar fate last year.

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