Guna borewell tragedy: A 10-year-old child sumit was rescued from the pit after 16 hours but passed away during treatment

Guna Borewell Tragedy: Brave 10-Year-Old Rescued After 16 Hours, But Loses Fight for Life

In a heart-wrenching tragedy that has left the town of Guna in Madhya Pradesh in mourning, a 10-year-old boy lost his life after being trapped in a borewell for over 16 hours. The child, identified as Ravi, accidentally fell into the uncovered borewell while playing in a field near his home in Barkheda village on Friday afternoon.

A massive rescue operation was launched immediately, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local authorities, and villagers working tirelessly through the night. Heavy machinery was deployed to dig parallel pits and safely extract the child, as oxygen was continuously supplied to him throughout the ordeal. After 16 hours of relentless effort, Ravi was finally pulled out early Saturday morning and rushed to a nearby hospital.

Despite the rescue team’s heroic efforts, doctors confirmed that Ravi succumbed to injuries and complications caused by prolonged entrapment and lack of proper blood circulation. His passing has left the community shattered, as hopes had soared high when he was brought out alive.

Ravi’s grieving parents, daily wage laborers, expressed their profound loss, with his father saying, “We thought he would come back to us. He was a bright and happy child. Our world feels empty now.”

The tragedy has sparked anger and demands for stricter action against open and unsafe borewells, which have claimed the lives of many children across the country in similar incidents. The district administration has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to the family and promised to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

The incident has reignited the debate over the need for stronger enforcement of safety protocols and accountability for landowners who leave borewells uncovered. “This is not just negligence; this is a systemic failure. How many more children must die before we take this seriously?” said a local activist.

Ravi’s untimely death serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to address preventable accidents and ensure that no more young lives are lost to such tragedies. As his village mourns, the nation once again reflects on the importance of prioritizing safety measures for its most vulnerable citizens.