The efforts to save five-year-old Mahi Upadhyay were televised live by national news channels, with people across the country performing religious rituals and offering prayers for her survival.
The girl fell down the well on June 20 while playing with her friends in a village in Harayana state, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of New Delhi.
Hundreds of soldiers, engineers and medical experts were involved in the attempt to rescue her, using heavy machinery to dig a parallel tunnel to reach her as well as pumping oxygen into the well to try to keep her alive.
Her body was carried out on Sunday wrapped in a blanket and taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead.
“Mahi was stuck at a level of 60 feet (20 metres). The diameter of the well was very narrow, nothing could be sent inside to save her,” senior police officer Anil Rao told reporters at the scene.
COMMENTS (9)
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@Sonam Shyam: The well was on a private land. It is easier for you to rail against the government for failing to take care of uncovered wells, instead of looking at how and what you do for safety in your own house and for your own kids. Only the stupid think that the government should save them from their own stupidity.
@roadkashehzada: its an unfortunate accident in india but televising it live is probably another indian attempt to copy west How did 'copy' come into this? Dude, label it properly - Its 'Sensationalism' = an attempt to get high TRPs by emotionally manipulating the TV audience. It is pretty much the same in Pakistan and any where in the world... When you have an audience to manipulate for business sake, you will manipulate....... Media is now a business bro.... Just look at how all your meanstream media anchors are in soup due thanks 'Malik Riaz'........
My condolences to the family and friends.
@Sonam Shyam: It's all well and good to blame poor governance but where is the sense of personal responsibility. The parents were negligent to let their daughter wander and now blame the establishment for a sad accident. Similarly with traffic licensed to drive people aware of traffic laws break them regularly blaming lack of governance for accidents. If people choose to disregard all sense of law no govt in the world can enforce them. If you keep littering the streets no govt in the world can keep the city clean. The west is better because the people take personal responsibility aswell. Not just the govt trying to implement laws.
May you soul rest in peace little one.
Although the rescue teams led by the Indian army did a commendable job but the fact is that the criminal negligence on the part of the administration is clearly established. The bore well was abandoned and left open; clearly indicating that despite economic progress, India is still very much a third world country when it comes to implementing basic safety standards. The value of human life is extremely cheap in India with over 10000 people dying in road accidents every month. The demise of the little girl is a grim reminder of our unfortunate status of a poorly governed country.
@OG: i think pakistan is needed to be rescued from its bashers. as far as i remember, SC sent NGO ladies in a helicopter with the local administration and the NGO lady confirmed in court that she met with two of them herself. few days later, the lady wrote an article in ET that she wasnt sure of their life. not sure why she didnt pick this point in the court at right time. anyway, its an unfortunate accident in india but televising it live is probably another indian attempt to copy west. i m saying again, its the televising which is the copy not the rescue itself.
Must admire the effort here by the Indians to save this one girl. While in Pakistan, 4 girls have possibly been killed for being on tape dancing at some wedding. No resources being spent there!