9 dead in lightning strikes in Bihar

PATNA: At least nine people were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes in three districts in Bihar on Wednesday, police said.

The highest number of fatalities were reported in Begusarai district, where five people died. In Madhubani district, three people, including a man and daughter, lost their lives. In Darbhanga, an elderly person was struck by lightning and died.

A severe storm, rain, and hailstorm on Wednesday morning caused significant destruction in different parts of Madhubani, Begusarai and Darbhanga districts in north Bihar.

In Madhubani’s Jhanjharpur subdivision area, three people died after being struck by lightning in different locations. The deceased included a father and daughter from one family and a woman from another family. The two incidents have cast a pall of gloom over the Jhanjharpur area.

The first incident occurred at Alpura village under Rudrapur police station. Seeing dark clouds in the morning, farmer Mohammad Zakir Ansari (58) and his daughter Asma Khatoon (19) went to the field. The senior women of the house were busy cooking, so the daughter was sent to the agricultural field. While the father and daughter were covering the wheat crop with a tarp, lightning suddenly struck, killing both on the spot. Upon hearing the news, family members rushed to the scene. The police have sent the bodies for post-mortem.

The second incident took place at Piprauliya village under Araria Sangram police station in Madhubani district. Here, Durga Devi (45), the wife of Raman Kumar Mahto, was also covering firewood with a tarp when she was struck by lightning and died. The Station House Officer (SHO) Balwant Kumar said that the body has been sent for post-mortem.

In Begusarai district, five people died in five separate incidents of lightning strikes on Wednesday.

Some women and girls of Manopur village under Bhawanipur police station area had gone to the fields for open defecation when lightning struck. Anshu Kumari (13), daughter of Ramkumar Sada of Manopur, died due to the lightning strike. Her sister, Aanchal Kumari, was also seriously injured in the incident.

In another incident of lightning strike that occurred at Bhagatpur under Balia police station area, a young man died, and his wife was burned. The deceased was identified as Viral Paswan (60), son of the late Sukhdev Paswan from Bhagatpur. His wife, Jitni Devi, was seriously injured.

Family members said that Paswan and his wife were collecting wheat straw about 200 meters from their home when they were struck by lightning. Upon receiving the information, a police team of Dial-112 arrived and took them to Balia primary health centre (PHC), where Viral Paswan was declared dead, and his wife is undergoing treatment. Another woman named Pusta Devi of Bhagatpur was also burned by the lightning strike, police said.

In another incident of lightning strike at Gandhi Gram Suja under Mufassil police station, a young man named Pankaj Mahato (45), son of Kamo Mahato, died. Police said Pankaj was sleeping at his doorstep at around 10 am when he was struck by lightning and died instantly. The family is in shock following the incident.

In the Sahebpur Kamal police station area, one Indira Devi (55), wife of Kalo Paswan from Sanha West, died in a lightning strike. Police said Indira Devi went to Mohanpur Bahiyar to cut wheat when she was struck by lightning and died. The laborers working with her informed the family, and the police have taken the body for post-mortem.

In Begusarai’s Matihani police station area, Janardan Mahato (80) of Sihma village died after being struck by lightning. Janardan was in his field when he was struck and died on the spot. The family is in distress, police said.

In Darbhanga district, one Jawahar Chaupal (68) had gone to a field when he was struck by lightning, He died in the field. Jawahar was a native of Ladho Kataiya village under Biraul police station area. Biraul circle officer and a police team reached the village after getting information about the demise of Chaupal.