Rengali/Bhubaneswar: After eight hours of grueling efforts, a newborn has been rescued. The baby had fallen into around 25 feet-deep borewell in a forest near Laripali village under Rengali police limits in Sambalpur district, earlier in the day.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed happiness over the safe rescue and said, “It is a matter of great relief. I wish a long life for the baby. May God bless her. Jai Jagannath.”

The Chief Minister also congratulated the rescue teams – the ODRAF, fire services, Sambalpur district Administration, police, and medical team and praised their coordinated efforts. He said, “I am happy that the entire State machinery worked with the guiding principle 'Every life is precious'.”

The CM was in touch with the situation during the operation. Acting on the direction of Patnaik, rescue equipment was sent to the spot by a special aircraft. A victim location camera was sent from Bhubaneswar in a special flight to help rescue the newborn found inside the borewell.

Three JCB machines were pressed into service at the spot for digging a parallel tunnel to reach out to the victim newborn spotted inside the abandoned borewell in Sambalpur district.

Some locals had spotted the infant inside the borewell after hearing the victim’s cry.