Man killed by meteorite, first case in modern history (UPDATE: maybe not!)

UPDATE: NASA says probably not. (NYT)

On Saturday, a falling meteorite is thought to have killed V. Kamaraj, a bus driver at Bharathidasan Engineering College in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

A four-foot crater is under investigation near the campus cafeteria (image above). Three others were also injured. According to NASA, there's no other documentation "in modern times of any person being killed by a meteorite." Indian Institute of Astrophysics scientists are examining debris to determine if that's what happened here.

The Indian government will provide 100,000 rupees ($1,473) to Kamari's family and 25,000 rupees to the other victims.


"Meteorite Killed Man at Indian College, Says Chief Minister" (WSJ)