"This isn't a grave," Gill said, slamming his fist on the map. "The upper shaft is dry. There’s an air pocket. They are alive."
Gill smiled. "Sardarji is here. Now, listen carefully. No pushing. The oldest first. Then the weakest. Then the rest. You will go alone. You will feel like you are dying. But you will not." Mission Raniganj
Gill shouted from the bottom: "Don't pull! Push! Twist the cable!" "This isn't a grave," Gill said, slamming his
Gill tied a rope around his own waist. "I do." They are alive
On the surface, panic erupted. The capsule was stuck on a rock spur. If they pulled harder, the cable would snap. If they lowered it, the man would drown in the rising water below.
The first miner—a frail old man—was strapped into the capsule. Gill signaled the winch operator. The capsule rose. One foot. Ten feet. Fifty feet. Then it jammed.
But one man refused to accept that verdict.