Indian boy Rahul Sahu was rescued from an 80ft borehole after 5 days

A 10-year-old Indian boy has been rescued after falling into an 80ft well and spending five days trapped underground – sharing space with a snake and a frog, officials said.

Rahul Sahu, who has both speech and hearing impairments, fell into a well on Friday afternoon while playing in his family’s garden in the village of Pihrid, Chhattisgarh state.

About 500 officers from India’s National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, district government and army were called to rescue the child.

The operation to rescue the disabled boy was hampered by poor weather conditions, rocky terrain, and the presence of venomous creatures at the site, including snakes and scorpions.

During the 104 hours Sahu spent in the muddy well, he was fed oxygen via a pipeline and fed a banana.

Rescue crews equipped with earth movers and robots were able to dig a 70-foot pit parallel to the well, the Hindustan Times reported. A 15-foot tunnel was then built to connect the pit to the well and carry the boy to safety.

After he finally resurfaced on Wednesday, the 10-year-old – who appeared awake and alert – was greeted with cheers and applause from rescuers.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tweeted that Sahu had only “a snake and a frog to keep him company” during the harrowing ordeal.

Sahu was then taken to a hospital where his condition was stable. He remained in intensive care under specialist observation but was expected to recover.

“Today is all Chhattisgarh celebrating,” Baghel tweeted. “We all wish for his speedy return from the hospital. Congratulations and thanks again to the entire team involved in this operation.”

The minister called Sahu “brave” and “equated with courage” and promised that the government would take care of the boy’s medical treatment and education.

With postal wires