Lightning strikes claim 12 lives in 4 dists of state

PATNA/GAYA: At least 12 people, including a couple, died and three others were injured in lightning strikes in four districts in the last 24 hours. Expressing grief over the deaths, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

According to a news release from the information and public relations department, five persons died and three were injured in Belaganj police station area of Gaya district on Thursday, while three persons lost their lives in Jehanabad and two each in Rohtas and Nalanda districts.

The three injured were admitted to Belaganj primary/community health centre. The CM has ordered the Gaya administration to give proper treatment to the injured.

Gaya district magistrate (DM) Thiyagarajan S M identified the five deceased as Jitendra Dangi and his wife Meera Devi, besides Shankar Ram, Kapil Yadav and Bali Bhagat.

CM: Don’t go out in bad weather
He said eight persons had taken shelter in a small cabin of a pumping station in Panari village during rain when the lightning struck, killing five of them and injuring the rest three. On getting information, additional DM, Belaganj block development officer and circle officer went to the spot and took the necessary steps.

Meanwhile, the CM asked the residents of the state to abide by the advisory of the state disaster management department and not to take risk of going outside their homes, unless necessary, in bad weather. The districts with the highest fatalities were Gaya (46), Bhojpur (23), Nawada (21), Banka (21), Aurangabad (20) and Nalanda and Kaimur, each with 18 fatalities.

(With inputs from PTI)

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