Bagalkot:
Distraught rescuers continued their round-the-clock operation to pull out a six-year old boy trapped in an abandoned borewell at a farm in nearby Sulikeri village for the fourth day today with no official word on his fate.
Nearly 32 members drawn from the National Disaster Relief Force, Hutti gold mines in neighbouring Raichur district and fire brigade were engaged in intense efforts to rescue Thimmanna Hatti, who fell into the borewell in his father's farm on Sunday last.
Caught in a tragic dilemma, the boy's father Hanumantha Hatti had pleaded yesterday that the operation be stopped to save his land, saying "I won't get back my son alive after all this that is being done."
Attempt to use a robot by Manikanthan from Madurai to pull out Thimmanna failed today, after similar attempt had earlier yielded no result.
The mud covering the boy was being continuously removed using a vacuum pump, officials said.
District officials said 82 feet had been dug for pit-cum-tunnel in L shape to reach Thimmanna, trapped at a depth of 160 feet in the 300-ft borewell after he fell into it while he was with his cousin.
District minister in charge S R Patil and senior police and other officials are supervising the operation.