News / India

Meteorite kills man after falling in southern India

Monday, 08 February 2016 10:10 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 09 February 2016 1:14 AM ]

File photo of a meteor streaking the night sky

Authorities in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu say that a bus driver has been killed by a falling meteorite.

"A meteorite fell at a private engineering college... and claimed the life of a college bus driver," said the state’s Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram on Sunday.

The meteorite reportedly struck ground in the southern state on Saturday leaving a five-foot-deep crater and smashing windows in the vicinity, three people were also injured in the incident.

"It was a sound like nothing I've ever heard before," said the college’s Principal G. Baskar."There was no smell at all, no fire, nothing."

If it is scientifically proven that the man was killed by the celestial object, it will mark the first such death by a meteorite.

According to reports, a dark blue stone similar to a diamond and weighing about 11 grams was found in the crater.

Initially the incident was thought to be caused by explosives but no supporting evidence was found.

*Indian authorities inspect the site of a suspected meteorite landing in the Vellore district of the southern state of Tamil Nadu on February 7, 2016. (AFP)*

"When no evidence of explosive material was found, we moved to the theory that it might be a meteorite," said a local official, "It is not confirmed yet as samples need to be analyzed."

A team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics are currently investigating the incident.

Meteorites are particles of dust and rock that survive passing through the atmosphere and fall to the Earth’s surface.

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