Digging halted, boy's family to get Rs 5 lakh

BAGALKOT: The Karnataka government has decided to stop digging to extricate the body of six-year-old boy from a borewell on his father's field in Bagalkot district.
Timmanna fell into the open borewell on August 3.
A meeting held here on Saturday noted that the boy is dead. A decision on closing the failed borewell will be taken after getting the opinion of the advocate general.Experts, politicians, prominent people of Sulikeri, Timmanna's father Hanamant Hatti and his family members were present.
After listening to everybody's views, district minister S R Patil announced the decision to halt the digging. He said the forensics department head at the Belgaum Institute of Medical Sciences has confirmed the boy's death.
The minister announced that chief minister Siddaramaiah has granted a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to Timmanna's family. The money to be deposited in a bank account will be utilized for the education of the boy's two sisters.
Patil said that the rescue work had caused damage to Hatti's field and hence it would be proper to stop it. He promised Hatti that the dug-up field will be levelled to enable cultivation.
Soil experts Sriniwas Murthy and Galagali said continuing the operation would endanger the rescue team. NDRF team leader Ritesh, Hutti Gold Mines official Madialgan and fire force chief Ravindra said they were unable to continue the work.
Deputy commissioner P A Meghannavar said, "At present, there is no plan to close the open borewell. A final decision will be taken after getting the opinion of the advocate general. Only after that can the family members conduct the final rituals of Timmanna."