Lightning kills two, injures eight in UP's Sultanpur

Sultanpur (UP), Jul 1 (PTI) Two people were killed and eight others, including four children, suffered burn injuries after lightning struck at separate places in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur on Wednesday as the monsoon arrived, officials said.

The incidents occurred in the Bandhua Kala and Motigarpur police station areas.

In Dharupur village under Bandhua Kala police station, 65-year-old Piyari Devi died on the spot after lightning struck while she was transplanting paddy in a field. Eight others who had taken shelter under a mango tree during the rain were also struck.

The injured were identified as Jai Singh (40), Chandni (8), Muskan (6), Janhvi (4), Chhatrapal (35), Aditya (14), Uday Raj (65) and Prandei (62). All were taken to the Kudwar Community

Health Centre, from where Uday Raj, Jai Singh, Chhatrapal and Prandei were referred to the district medical college due to the severity of their injuries.

Bandhua Kala Station House Officer Pramod Kumar said Piyari Devi’s body had been sent for post-mortem examination, and legal proceedings were underway.

SDM Uttam Tiwari said her family would be provided financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

In a separate incident in Kakarwarpur village under Motigarpur police station, 65-year-old Jagannath Pal died after being struck by lightning while grazing his buffalo in a field around 300 metres from his house. He succumbed to his injuries while being taken to a community health centre, officials said.

SDM Prabhat Kumar Singh said revenue officials had inspected the spot and the bereaved family would receive Rs 4 lakh as ex gratia under the natural disaster relief scheme after the post-mortem report. PTI COR KIS APL APL