BARC victim not second-time lucky

Umang Singh, who was burnt alive along with another young research scientist in a blaze at the country’s premier atomic research laboratory, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), was not second-time lucky.

Umang Singh, who was burnt alive along with another young research scientist in a blaze at the country’s premier atomic research laboratory, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), was not second-time lucky.

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It was only last week that Singh (27) had escaped with a minor injury on his hand when a small fire broke out last week in the same chemistry laboratory at the BARC where he met a fiery end on Tuesday.

“Last Friday, there was a small fire in the same laboratory where he died yesterday. Umang had extinguished it and escaped with a minor injury on his right hand,” Singh’s close friend Jairam Gholave told PTI on Wednesday, while waiting to receive his friend’s body at J.J. Hospital.

Gholave, pursuing his PhD in chemistry from the University of Mumbai, said he had scolded his friend for risking his life by putting out the fire with his hands instead of complaining about it to the authorities.

As the distraught families of Singh and his research colleague Partha Bag struggled to come to terms with the tragedy, Singh’s uncle, Munna Singh, demanded an inquiry into the incident. He alleged there was an attempt by the BARC to hush up the matter.

Singh was the youngest of his parents’ three children and their only son. His father retired a few years ago and he was the family’s sole bread-winner, getting a stipend of Rs 14,000 per month, Gholave said.

Some of Singh’s friends alleged there was carelessness on the BARC’s part as the room where the accident occurred was being painted and chemicals in the paint could have spread the fire.

The cause of the fire is still being ascertained by the police and fire officials. Initial reports, however, say it could be the result of a short circuit.