The family of IIT Delhi PhD scholar Surbhi Verma, who lost her life when she fell into a ravine during a paleoclimatology research trip just outside the Lothal Harappan Valley Civilization site in Ahmedabad, has filed an FIR with the Ahmedabad Rural Police. in case.
Surbhi’s father Ram Khelwan Verma, a government school teacher in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur, told The Indian Express that the police have not yet recorded the family’s statement.
“Although a complaint was registered at Koth police station on November 8 and a copy of it was given to the concerned police officer PN Gohil (PSI of Koth police station), the police have not taken any action yet. When I made the same request on November 14, I was told that the police have a timeline of three months and if anything is found during this period, necessary action will be taken accordingly. However, they have not recorded any statement so far.”
While police officials said they are yet to receive the family’s application through official channels, a copy of the same has been received on WhatsApp and police have taken prima facie cognizance of it, officials said.
The application, accessed by The Indian Express, is addressed to an officer of the Koth police station, and states that Surbhi went on a three-day research trip with her IIT Delhi professor and two other people, including a professor. An IIT Gandhinagar student was also with them when she lost her life on November 27. Naming a faculty member, the letter said there was “gross negligence”. Professors and Institutes. He also said that safety standards were not taken into account while digging a hole for research, which was dug using the JCB machine of the road contractor even in the prohibited area of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The petition further states, “It has been stated that Survi was sent to the pit without any safety belt or helmet by the faculty member and that there was no security team on standby at the spot. Neither the local administration nor the ASI was informed about this.
In the petition, the family has requested the police to take action against the culprits in Surabhi’s death and register an FIR under relevant sections of the law.
The Indian Express spoke to Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat, who said, “We are investigating the case taking into account all the factors. We are yet to receive some of the requested documents from IIT Delhi. The investigation is on.”
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