Prince under observation, recovering at hospital

Kurukshetra, July 24: A gritty Prince, who has survived a 50-hour ordeal in the bottom of a 60-feet well, is again resiliantly recovering from the trauma, playing with a heap of toys in the peaceful environs of the LNJP hospital here.

The five-year-old rescued by the armymen last night after a marathon rescue operation in Haldera, was stable but under observation in a private room, said paediatrician Dr Jagmal Singh, who is heading the battery of doctors taking care of the child hero.

''He is not on a drip. Nor is he traumatised. He is making good recovery,'' said Dr Singh, expressing admiration for the child's willpower.

Prince was administered glucose drip last night after physical examination. He has bruises all over his body, especially on legs.

He is anaemic as it is and was terrified when brought here, Dr Singh said.

He looks relaxed now as he plays with his sister Payal and brother Gaurav who are constantly giving him company while police keeps a vigil outside the hospital to ensure they are not disturbed by inquisitive media and wellwishers.

Entry to Prince's room has been restricted by the doctors to help him recover from the trauma. Only family and hospital staff is allowed access to the child who within three days, was exposed to the dreadful darkness and dazzling media glare.

''We will keep him under observation for sometime and he will be discharged only after we are certain that he has bounced back to his normal self,'' Dr Singh said.

Watched by the nation on television last night, the boy assisted by an army jawan, had crawled through the tunnel which the Engineers had dug from an abandoned well, 10-metres away from the hole in which he was trapped since Friday.

Meanwhile, Ramchander, father of Prince, today received an assistance of Rs two lakh from Haryana government for his treatment.

''Ye to ji bus, bhagwan kee hi maya hai ki is bachche ko doosri jindagi mil gayi. Bhalaa ho un fauji bhaiyon ka jinki badaulat ye Prince aaj hamaare beech jinda hai'', Thank God, Prince is with us due to God's blessings but it was all made possible by the armymen), he said after receiving the cheque of Rs two lakh from DC Kurukshetra T K Sharma.

The entire nation had united as one in prayers for his survival, while the Centre and Haryana announced a grant of Rs two lakh for the boy and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee sent him their blessings.

The frantic efforts of the rescue teams of the 65 Engineers Regt backed by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the civil and police administration, yielded results last evening, when an army jawan reached out to touch the boy, who lay crouched in the 16-inch diameter hole.

UNI