Indian Miracle in Rajasthan: 3-year-old girl rescued from 700-ft borewell after 10 gruelling days

 January 01, 2025 | 
Stephen N R., Senior Associate Editor


Dubai: In an extraordinary feat of determination and teamwork, three-year-old Chetna was rescued from a 700-foot borewell in Rajasthan’s Kotputli after a marathon 10-day operation, reports in Indian media said.

The rescue brought relief and jubilation to her family and the nation, as the little girl’s life hung by a thread.

A playful afternoon turned into a nightmare

On December 23, while playing in her village of Kiratpura, Chetna accidentally fell into the uncovered borewell in Badiyali ki Dhani.

Her cries alerted her family, who discovered her trapped deep within the borewell. Panic quickly turned to action as local authorities and disaster relief teams were called in.

Unprecedented rescue efforts

The National and State Disaster Relief Forces, along with medical teams, worked tirelessly to save Chetna.

Early attempts to retrieve her using an iron ring and rope failed. Oxygen was supplied through a pipe to keep her alive, but heavy rains and the tilted borewell complicated the efforts.

When digging commenced to create a tunnel for her rescue, it initially veered off course due to the borewell’s angle, an NDTV report said.

This led to significant delays. Experts from Delhi and Jaipur Metro were brought in to assist, and the tunnel’s width was expanded from 8 feet to 12 feet to facilitate the operation.

Mother’s plea

As days turned into a week, desperation mounted. On December 28, Chetna’s mother, Dholi Devi, made an emotional appeal to authorities. “It has been six days… My daughter is hungry and thirsty. If she were the child of the district collector, would she have been left in the borewell for so long? Please, get my daughter out immediately,” she pleaded.

A race against time

In the final hours of the operation, the situation became dire. Neither food nor oxygen could reach Chetna, and her condition deteriorated. Rescue teams intensified their efforts, and after an arduous struggle, they pulled her to safety just in time.

Safe at last

Chetna was immediately taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors reported that she is stable but will remain under constant observation.

Her grandfather, Dayaram, expressed profound gratitude to the rescue teams for their relentless efforts, despite harsh winter conditions.

He also urged authorities to ensure all open borewells are sealed to prevent future tragedies.

Lessons for the future

Collector Kalpana Agarwal explained that the borewell’s tilt created unforeseen challenges but commended the dedication of the rescue teams.

This incident has reignited calls for stricter regulations to cover open borewells across the country.