Researcher’s death: Gujarat cops seek SOP details from IITs and ASI

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat police on Friday said it was probing whether standard operating procedures were

in place in connection with the November 27 trench cave-in near the Indus Valley Civilisation site of Lothal, which resulted in the death of a PhD student of Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

Deceased Surbhi Verma (23) and three other researchers were at the ancient

Indus Valley Civilisation site, some 80 kilometres from Ahmedabad, for research work and collection of samples

when a 10-foot deep trench caved in.

“The joint team of IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar had reached the spot to collect soil samples for paleo-climatic study. Surabhi, who was deep inside the pit, died instantly in the cave-in. A woman professor from IIT Delhi was rescued and two researchers from IIT Gandhinagar were unhurt,” said Ahmedabad District Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat.

Koth police registered an accidental death case and began a probe, he added.

The researchers had not informed local police or any local authority before carrying out the excavation work, said the SP.