KANPUR: A 16-year-old girl fell into a nearly 20-foot-deep defunct borewell at her home in UP’s Kanpur on Friday morning while she was preparing to tie a rakhi on her brother’s wrist.The girl, identified as Chutki Sharma, was standing in the courtyard when the soil covering the defunct borewell suddenly collapsed. She fell into the pit at around 6.40am as she reached out to tie the rakhi.The incident took place in Purwamir village under the Maharajpur police station area, around 35 km from Kanpur district headquarters.It triggered a major rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire department.Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal said the girl had fallen about 20 feet into the borewell.“Rescue teams including NDRF, SDRF and fire department were immediately called in and are making every effort to bring her out safely,” Lal said.Around 60 personnel from the NDRF, SDRF and fire department have been deployed for the rescue operation.Officials said rescuers were digging a parallel pit using excavators to create a passage to the girl. By Friday afternoon, around 12 feet of excavation had been completed.“Although the circumstances are very difficult, our efforts to bring her out safely will continue,” Lal said.The rescue operation is being carried out with caution as the ground around the borewell and the house are reportedly unstable. Excavators are being operated carefully to prevent any further collapse of the soil or structure.Chief Fire Officer Deepak Sharma said the condition of the building was being monitored throughout the operation.The family told police that the borewell had been drilled in the courtyard around three years ago but was left incomplete. A second borewell was later dug at another location.The family believes the abandoned borewell may have weakened the soil, which eventually gave way after recent rainfall.Police, local rescue teams and NDRF personnel continued their efforts to safely bring the girl out of the borewell.
