Two-Year-Old Boy Dies After Falling into Open Borewell in Ujjain; 23-Hour Rescue Effort Fails to Save Him

Ujjain: A two-year-old boy, Bhagirath, died after falling into an uncovered borewell in Jalaria village in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Thursday night. The child, who belonged to a nomadic family from Pali, Rajasthan, had arrived in Ujjain five days earlier with his family — led by his father Praveen Devasi — to graze their goats. While playing alongside his parents in a field, Bhagirath fell into a borewell that had been left carelessly uncovered.

A 23-hour rescue operation involving police, local administration, and the State Disaster Response Force was mounted through the night and into the following day. Oxygen was pumped into the borewell through pipes to keep the child breathing during the prolonged effort. When rescuers finally pulled Bhagirath out, he was unconscious. He was rushed to Badnagar Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his grief over the tragedy and announced a financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh for the bereaved family.

The incident has renewed calls for strict enforcement of regulations requiring disused borewells to be properly sealed.