Days after a cylinder explosion at Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc) killed a research intern and injured three others, one of the injured victims was discharged from Ramaiah Memorial Hospital.
After his discharge, 24-year-old Athulya Uday Kumar spoke to investigating officials who are investigating the blast and has reportedly told police that the deceased victim, Manoj Kumar, was setting up the cylinder for an experiment when the incident took place.
“Manoj was an experienced technician and like every time he was setting up the cylinder for the experiment when the blast suddenly happened. I don’t remember anything after that,” he said to police officials.
Investigating officials are saying that it seems like a case of an accident, though official forensic reports are awaited. The other two victims, 25-year-old Karthik Shenoy and 32-year-old Naresh Kumar are still in the hospital. Karthik is on a ventilator but is conscious and responsive, while Naresh is reportedly stable.
On Wednesday, December 5, Manoj was killed and the other three injured after a hydrogen cylinder exploded inside the IISc campus in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, in light of the tragedy, IISc has drafted an action plan to take steps to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. It has called for a meeting with the head of departments of all 84 departments to discuss lab safety and regulation issues as well as come up with a safety plan. The HoDs have been asked to prepare a blueprint of all 84 laboratories, to set the regulatory measures in place, according to a report in TNIE.
Furthermore, an internal committee had also visited the lab and assessed the area in order to submit an official report giving a reason behind the explosion at the lab. In the meantime, Chief Security Officer at IISc, MR Chandrashekhar, has said to the cops that no fault in security with IISC.