NIT Durgapur Professor Succumbs To Injuries After Lab Explosion

Professor Indrajit Basak of NIT Durgapur died from severe burns after a laboratory explosion during thermite welding research.

An NIT Durgapur professor has died after suffering severe burns in a blast during a research project.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

Professor Indrajit Basak of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur passed away in Delhi on Monday after battling severe burn injuries sustained in a laboratory explosion. The 64-year-old mechanical engineering professor had been receiving critical care at a hospital in Delhi following the April 16 accident.

According to doctors, Basak had suffered severe burns over nearly 90% of his body, including his face. Despite being placed on a ventilator and undergoing intensive treatment, his condition remained critical until his passing.

The explosion occurred while Professor Basak was conducting research on thermite welding — a high-temperature welding process — with a group of final-year students. The experiment, carried out just outside the department’s laboratory, took a catastrophic turn, injuring both Basak and one of his students, Akash Majhi, from Asansol, reported the Telegraph.

While Majhi escaped with relatively minor burns, Professor Basak bore the brunt of the blast. The duo was immediately rushed to a private medical facility in Durgapur’s Gandhi More area. Basak was later transferred to Delhi for advanced care.

The professor, a long-time resident of Recall Park in Durgapur’s City Centre, was known for his dedication to hands-on education and experimental research. His untimely death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the academic community.

"This is a very unfortunate incident," said state minister Pradeep Majumder. "My heartfelt condolences go out to his students, colleagues, and family."

NIT Durgapur officials have described the incident as a grave loss and stressed their commitment to uncovering what went wrong. The explosion not only caused physical injuries but also resulted in partial damage to the research facility.

In response, the institute has launched an internal investigation to identify the exact cause of the explosion. Early indications suggest that impurities in the materials used for the experiment may have triggered the blast. Srikrishna Rai, the institute’s public relations officer, confirmed that all lab-based activities have been suspended until further notice as a precautionary measure.