The body of four-year-old Nirvair Singh, who fell into an open borewell in Dhanaura village of Ambala district on Tuesday morning, was recovered in the early hours of Wednesday after a 21-hour rescue operation. The incident has sparked grief and outrage, with police booking three individuals for negligence.
Rescue operation and medical findings
The rescue operation concluded at around 3:25 am, and the child was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Ambala City, where doctors declared him brought dead. Medical Officer Dr Rishipal stated that efforts were made to resuscitate the boy upon extraction, but they were unsuccessful.
Dr Sumit Kukreja, who conducted the post-mortem examination, reported that the child sustained injuries to his head, chest, and knees. He added, "Since there was water inside the borewell, traces of muddy water were also found inside the body. The cause of death is the combined effect of drowning and injuries. The boy may not have survived for long after falling into the borewell."
Family's anguish and demand for justice
After the post-mortem, the body was handed over to the grieving family. The cremation took place amid rain in the village, attended by a large number of villagers and relatives. Nirvair's uncle, Harinder Singh, expressed the family's devastation: "We are going back home empty-handed. He was pulled out after 21 hours. The administration and villagers helped us, but he could not be saved. We have lost our child due to the negligence of some people. The police should take appropriate action against them. My elder brother and other family members are still in shock. The government should ensure that no such incident recurs."
Police action against the accused
Ambala Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhawat confirmed that a case has been registered against the owner of the agricultural field and two other individuals who had taken the field on lease. He explained, "After the first borewell failed, they dug another borewell and shifted the motor, but did not close the old borewell." The case was filed under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against field owner Harnaik Singh, and leaseholders Dilpreet Singh and Baljeet Singh, based on a complaint by the boy's relative, Gurdeep Singh. The complaint alleged that the accused had been repeatedly asked to seal the borewell but ignored the requests.
Community impact and calls for stricter safety measures
The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over Dhanaura village and raised serious questions about the safety of abandoned borewells in agricultural areas. Villagers have demanded stricter enforcement of laws requiring the proper sealing of unused borewells to prevent similar incidents. The case highlights the ongoing risk posed by unsecured borewells across rural India, where such accidents have claimed numerous young lives over the years.
