ISRO scientist killed in road mishap

A scientific secretary with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Bangalore, Rajeev Lochan and his car driver Chandran were killed on the spot, while ISRO Director (Publications and Public Relations) Krishnamurthy sufferred grievous injuries when the car in which they were travelling met with an accident near the temple town of Tirupati.

According to information reaching here, the two officials left Bangalore for Sriharikota in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in a car on Friday evening. The car crashed into a stationary truck at Pakala, about 40 kms from Tirupati, leading to the death of Lochan and Chandran on the spot. Krishnamurthy was rushed to a hospital in Tirupati with serious injuries.

According to officials, the driver of the car hit the truck, which had been parked by the roadside, while trying to avoid an on-coming vehicle. Apparently, the stationary truck did not have parking lights, which contributed to the mishap.

“The condition of Krishnamurthy is stable and he has been declared out of danger. But, he has sufferred fractures in his legs”, said Krishnamurthy’s wife.

Meanwhile, Lochan’s body was brought to Bangalore and cremated yesterday. He leaves behind his wife, a son and a daughter.

Lochan had been working with ISRO for the last three decades and his longest stint was at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. He had been working at ISRO, Bangalore, for the last six years.

Chairman of ISRO G Madhavan Nair has expressed sadness over Lochan’s death. “He have lost an able scientist”, Nair said.

Lochan possessed a doctorate in aerospace engineering and addressed scientific-administrative matters at ISRO. “He took care of issues relating to questions and answers figuring in the Parliament. He was in administration related to science. He was a competent engineer and made good contribution to ISRO”, Nair said.