Date:06/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/06/stories/2006080619200100.htm

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Schoolboy spends 13 hours in well

Staff Reporter

He was pushed into it by his uncle

LUCKY ESCAPE: Shilambarasan and his father Shivalingaiah after the boy was rescued.

BANGALORE: A 10-year-old schoolboy, who was pushed into a 30-ft deep well in Vasanthapura in Subramanyapura police limits on Friday, spent the whole night in it till he was rescued the next morning. He was in the well for 13 hours. The police and fire service personnel rescued Shilambarasan, a third standard student. His uncle, Kumar, allegedly pushed him into the well on Friday around 7 p.m., according to the police.

The boy swam to the side and stood on a step till he was rescued. He suffered an injury on his left knee. The well is in a private property. Someone who came there to switch on a motor to draw water, heard the boy's cries and informed the police.

The police and fire service personnel arrived at the spot by 7 a.m. on Saturday and it took an hour for them to bring the boy up. The police said Kumar owed Rs. 25,000 to Shivalingaiah, the boy's father. Shivalingaiah, who had received only a part of the money, was pressuring Kumar to pay the rest.

When Kumar came to Shivalingaiah's house on Friday evening, he found the boy alone. He allegedly took him out saying he would buy him sweets and later pushed him into the well, the police said. The boy, who was said to be shaken and weak when he was rescued, was admitted to a hospital. The police have registered a case of attempt to murder against Kumar.