Newborn girl stuck in Odisha bore well rescued after 5-hr long operation

A newborn girl who was found stuck in an abandoned borewell in Odisha’s Sambalpur district was rescued on Tuesday night after an over five-hour-long operation, officials said. The child was taken to a hospital in Sambalpur in an ambulance which was kept ready at Laripali village in the Rengali area where the incident occurred. The baby has no claimant, police said. It was not clear how the child got into the 20-foot deep bore well made of iron. Locals suspect that the infant might have been dumped there by someone. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed happiness over the rescue of the infant, wishing her a long life. “The rescue operation started at 4 pm and it was completed at about 9.30 pm. First, the Sambalpur fire service personnel started it. Then ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) and other agencies joined,” Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo, who was present at the site said. The baby was alive and making movements when she was brought out – it was no less than a miracle, he said. “Oxygen was being supplied into the bore well. The baby had stopped crying for some time. Its cries were heard again after a 100-watt electric bulb was lowered into the bore well for light as well to keep the baby warm,” said Dr Subham Singha, who is part of the rescue team.