Research scholar from IIT Delhi killed after pit caves in at Gujarat's Harappan archaeological site

Ahmedabad: In a tragic incident, a PhD scholar on Wednesday died at the famous archaeological site of Lothal in Ahmedabad district while collecting soil samples for research.

Police said that she got buried in a pit she had entered to collect samples when the soil gave way. She was part of a research team from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-Delhi) who had come to Lothal to collect soil for paleoclimatic study.

Paleoclimatology is the study of the planet's past climate. The team had collected samples from various historical sites across the country and had come to Lothal for being one of the most important sites of Indus Valley Civilization.

"The soil of the pit being very unstable, the pit collapsed, trapping a team of four persons. The local police and fire team rescued three of them while one died," said Om Prakash Jat, superintendent of police, Ahmedabad district.

The deceased has been identified as Surbhi Verma, who was doing her PhD from IIT Delhi. The rest three have been referred to Ahmedabad hospital after their primacy check up at Bagodara.