Raksha Bandhan turns tragic as Kanpur girl falls into borewell
A 16-year-old girl died on Friday after falling into a nearly 20-foot-deep abandoned borewell at her home in Kanpur district, officials said.
The incident occurred around 6.40 am in Purwamir village under the Maharajpur police station area, about 35 km from Kanpur district headquarters. The girl, identified as Chutki Sharma, was standing on soil covering the defunct borewell in the courtyard while celebrating Raksha Bandhan with her brother when the ground suddenly collapsed.
According to police, Chutki was preparing to tie a rakhi on her brother’s wrist when she fell into the borewell.
Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said an extensive rescue operation was launched after the incident, involving around 60 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire department.
Rescuers dug a parallel pit using excavators to reach the girl. The operation was carried out cautiously as the surrounding ground and parts of the house were considered structurally unstable, officials said. Excavators were used carefully to prevent further collapse.
After being pulled out, Chutki was taken to the Sarsaul Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared her brought dead.
Chief Fire Officer Deepak Sharma said the condition of the building was monitored throughout the rescue operation.
The family told police that the borewell had been drilled in the courtyard around three years ago but was abandoned when the work could not be completed. A second borewell was later dug at another location.
The family suspects that the abandoned borewell may have weakened the ground, which eventually collapsed following recent rainfall. Police and rescue agencies were involved in the operation.
with inputs from PTI
