Three months after the death of his daughter, 23-year-old Surabhi Verma, in a cave-in at Lothal, Ram Khelawan Verma is calling for criminal negligence charges, insisting that her death was not an accident, but a result of serious safety violations.
Surabhi Verma, who was conducting archaeological research at the site, died on November 28 last year when a freshly dug pit collapsed while she and her PhD guide, Professor Yama Dixit, were collecting samples.
While Professor Dixit managed to escape with minor injuries, Surabhi was trapped and could not be saved despite the efforts of locals who rushed to help with ropes.
The incident, which occurred at an excavation site near the Harappan-era Lothal site, has raised concerns about negligence and safety protocols.
Verma, a government school teacher from Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, has been vocal about his frustration with the authorities’ handling of the case. On Thursday, he visited the Koth police station with relatives, urging the police to file an FIR for causing death by negligence. He expressed dissatisfaction with the case being labelled as an accidental death.
“It will soon be three months since her death, and we are still struggling to get an FIR filed for causing death by negligence,” said Verma.
“We do not know who permitted digging the pit or asked Surabhi to enter the 14-15 feet deep pit to collect samples without safety gear or who flouted the safety norms that caused her death.”
Verma also highlighted the lack of progress in the investigation, claiming that despite sending three letters to authorities requesting updates, he has received no response. He expressed concern over the absence of a statement from Professor Dixit, who was present at the site during the incident.
“When we asked the cops and IIT-D authorities about it, they said that she has not recovered enough. We are under tremendous mental trauma after losing our dear child,” he said.
Verma stated that his fight is about securing justice. “My daughter will not be back, but justice will be delivered only when the system identifies the safety lapses and ensures there are standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place so that tragedies are averted and nobody else loses their child,” he mentioned.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, which was overseeing the research, has launched its own internal inquiry into the matter, apart from the police investigation.
Om Prakash Jat, Superintendent of Police at Ahmedabad Rural, confirmed that they have received Verma’s applications and that the probe is ongoing. “We have roped in experts to find out what caused the incident and whether there were any security lapses. We are trying to understand the SOPs for such excavations and the responsibilities of the people involved,” Jat said.
“We will record Professor Dixit’s statement. The case will not be closed before that is done. If the allegations are proven, we may register an FIR for causing death by negligence,” he added.
A report submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) revealed that the excavation, involving a research team from IIT Delhi’s Centre of Atmosphere Sciences and IIT Gandhinagar, was conducted near the Harappan-era site without the necessary permissions.
The lack of safety measures, including the absence of protective gear for the team, has raised serious questions about the procedures followed during the excavation.
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