Man stuck in 70-ft-deep pit in Jalandhar taken out after 45 hours

A worker who remained stuck in a 70-feet-deep trench for nearly 45 hours in Punjab's Jalandhar district was taken out on Monday afternoon, officials said. Suresh (55) was taken out around 4 pm and rushed to Jalandhar civil hospital in an ambulance, they added. Although there is no official word yet on his condition, the victim's co-worker Pawan said he was no more.

Suresh, along with Pawan, on Saturday had entered the pit as part of the ongoing construction for the Delhi-Katra Expressway to free some part of the boring machine that got stuck underneath. While Pawan came out, Suresh got trapped after sand fell on him, officials said. The pit was dug to erect a pillar as part of the expressway project.



The rescue operation started on Saturday evening and continued throughout Sunday and Monday. The rescuers faced trouble in the operation as soft earth continued to cave in as they dug deeper to reach Suresh. A team of the National Disaster Response Force conducted the rescue operation. Earth excavation machines had also been pressed into service.

An official of the National Highways Authority of India on Sunday said both the workers, having experience in the job, were sent into the pit with oxygen cylinders and protective gear. All safety protocols were followed, he had said.