Bagalkot : District surgeon Ananth Reddy on Wednesday night declared that Thimmanna Hatti, who had fallen into a borewell on Sunday, has died. The reason being the foul emanating at the spot.

The operation to bring out the body of Hatti, 6, entered the fourth day on Wednesday.The expenses have reached Rs 50 lakh. But the objective has not been achieved.

The district administration is firm on not giving up the operation. Deputy Commissioner P A Meghannavar told Deccan Herald that efforts to bring out the boy’s body would continue, without bothering about the expenses. It is said that the costs could go up to Rs one crore.

Meghannavar said that 160 feet (in the Sulikeri incident) is the deepest that a child has slipped to in the country after falling into a borewell.

Robot expert Manikantan arrived here from Madurai in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday night. He began the rescue efforts right away. But they had to be given up on Wednesday morning, as lot of mud had collected on the boy’s body, hindering the robot’s movement. Sucking machines have been brought from a cement factory, to clear the mud.

The tunnel to reach the boy is now being dug in ‘U’ shape instead of ‘L’ shape, and it has now reached a depth of 80 feet to 90 feet. It is said that the operation (digging of the tunnel) may have to continue for three days and three nights more to bring out the boy’s body.

Meanwhile, ministers and public representatives from the district have criticised the suspension of the PDO and AEE and lodging of criminal cases against seven people including the president and vice president of the Gram Panchayat, besides the PDO and AEE. This is because the borewell has been dug up on private land.

District incharge minister S R Patil said that he had discussed with the Home minister the possibilities of withdrawing the FIR registered against them.

The minister said that the dug up area in the agriculture field belonging to the boy’s father would be filled up and the ground would be levelled, so that farming can resume there.

A pall of gloom has descended on the house of Thimmanna. His mother Sangavva has refused to take food as she is deep in grief over her son’s plight and her husband taking ill and being hospitalised.