Researcher's death in cave-in Gujarat cops seek SOP details from IITs ASI

Ahmedabad, Nov 29 (PTI) 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 paleoclimatic 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.
"Those who survived the cave-in claimed they were not digging inside the prohibited area of an ASI site. They told us permission is required if excavation is done within a 200-metre periphery of an ASI site. We will verify this claim by taking measurements at the site. We will get more details from Archaeological Survey of India about procedures to be followed for collection of samples at such sites," the SP said.
"We are probing whether IITs have issued any SOP to their field researchers and whether these SOPs were followed. Letters have been sent to both IITs asking them to share information on SOPs. We are also seeking expert opinion. Our preliminary probe has found the trench was dug at some distance from the main site. Before Lothal, the team collected samples from archaeological sites in Haryana as well as Gujarat's Anand," Jat informed.
The research team had hired an earthmover operator after reaching the spot and asked him to dig a trench for soil sample collection, he said.
"This team was doing a paleoclimatic study of Lothal to find out how different climatic events such as flood or famine impacted the Indus Valley Civilisation. As part of their ongoing research, they were collecting soil samples of that era by digging a trench near the Lothal site. However, a preliminary probe has revealed the team was not aware of the high water level beneath the visible dry soil," he explained.
Jat said the spot is part of marshy area due to ingress of sea, with water being found by digging just 5-6 feet.
The researchers had not informed local police or any local authority before carrying out the excavation work, said the SP.
Meanwhile, Surbhi's mortal remains were handed over to her relatives who had come to Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Her last rites were performed at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, said Surbhi's cousin Ajir Verma.
Verma, who had visited the cave-in site on Thursday, said IIT Delhi should first acknowledge there was negligence and fix accountability in connection with Surbhi being sent for sample collection.
"An inquiry must be conducted and responsible persons at IIT Delhi should be suspended. The family demands that guidelines for such field research, if it is there, must be revised and should be strictly implemented. Since Surbhi's family was dependent on her, kin should be given compensation of Rs 1.5 crore," he said.
According to Verma, the excavation was going in the prohibited area without the permission of ASI.
"Moreover, as per the research methodology, a slant pit must be dug up, not a vertical pit like what they did here. The pit was 4-metre in length, 1.5 metre wide and nearly 15-feet deep. The team neither had any experience of working in marshy areas nor did they have any safety equipment," Verma claimed.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)