While the Tamil Nadu government insists that a meteorite caused an explosion in a Vellore college and killed a man, scientists are not as sure. According to United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the photographs posted online of the dark-coloured stone recovered from the site look like the result of a “land-based explosion”, the New York Times reported.

Moreover, NASA scientists said a death by a meteorite impact has never been confirmed in recorded history. This view was shared by astronomer Michael Reynolds, who told National Geographic, “You have a better chance of getting hit by a tornado and a bolt of lightning and a hurricane all at the same time.”

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The Indian Institute of Astrophysics, which is analysing the rock samples, also remained skeptical. Professor GC Anupama, the dean of the institute, said, “Considering that there was no prediction of a meteorite shower and there was no meteorite shower observed, this certainly is a rare phenomena if it is a meteorite.”

In Saturday's incident, a bus driver was killed at the engineering college after there was an explosion near its cafeteria. Two gardeners and a student were injured as well. The explosion left a small crater and shattered some windows. A pockmarked rock was recovered from the spot and sent for analysis. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa offered the the driver’s family compensation of Rs 1 lakh.