16 die in separate incidents of lightning strikes in Bihar

PATNA: At least 16 people were killed after being struck by lightning in four districts of north Bihar on Wednesday, police and officials of district administration said. Five deaths each were reported from Begusarai and Darbhanga, four from Madhubani and two in Samastipur.

However, a communique issued from the chief minister office (CMO) said, only 13 people died due to lighting strike on Wednesday in the said four districts. "Begusarai reported five deaths, Darbhanga four, Madhubani three and Samastipur one," the CMO said.

CM Nitish Kumar expressed condolences over 13 deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, the statement issued from the CMO said.

Nitish appealed to the people of the state to follow advisories issued by the Disaster Management Department.

The four districts were hit by storm, heavy rain, and hailstorm, causing widespread destruction.

The highest number of fatalities was reported in Begusarai and Darbhanga districts, where five people each died. In Madhubani, four people, including a man and his daughter, lost their lives, while in Samastipur two people lost their lives. In the first incident in Begusarai at Manopur village under Bhawanipur police station area, some women and girls had gone to the fields for open defecation when lightning struck them.

Anshu Kumari (13), daughter of Ramkumar Sada, died on the spot, while her sister Aanchal Kumari sustained serious injuries. In another incident at Bhagatpur under Balia police station area in the district, a man died and his wife was injured when lightning struck them.

The deceased was identified as Viral Paswan (60), son of the late Sukhdev Paswan. His wife, Jitni Devi, was seriously injured. According to family members, the couple was collecting wheat straw about 200 meters away from their house when the incident occurred. A Dial-112 police team arrived and took them to the Balia Primary Health Centre (PHC), where Viral was declared dead. His wife is currently undergoing treatment.

Another local woman, Pusta Devi of Bhagatpur, was also burned by lightning, police said. In the third incident at Gandhi Gram Suja under Mufassil police station area in the district, one Pankaj Mahato (45), son of Kamo Mahato, died after being struck by lightning while he was sleeping in the verandah around 10pm.

He died instantly. In the fourth incident in the Sahebpur Kamal area in Begusarai district, one Indira Devi (55), wife of Kalo Paswan from Sanha West, died while working in the fields at Mohanpur Bahiyar.

She had gone to cultivate wheat crops when she was struck. In the fifth incident at Sihma village under Matihani police station area in the district, one Janardan Mahato (80) died after being struck by lightning while working in his field. He died on the spot. In Madhubani’s Jhanjharpur subdivision, three people died in separate incidents. The victims included a man and his daughter from a family, and a woman from another.

In the first incident, one Mohammad Zakir Ansari (58) and his daughter Asma Khatoon (19) were killed while covering their wheat crop with a tarpaulin sheet at Alpura village under Rudrapur police station area in the district.

In the second incident at Piprauliya village under Araria Sangram police station area, one Durga Devi (45), wife of Raman Kumar Mahato, was covering firewood with a tarpaulin sheet when lightning struck, killing her instantly. SHO Balwant Kumar said the body was sent for autopsy.

In Darbhanga, one Jawahar Chaupal (68), a resident of Ladho Kataiya village under Biraul police station, died after being struck by lightning while in the fields.