Hummingbird News Desk
KRISHNAGAR, 7 JUNE: At least 27 persons were killed and six others injured in lightning strikes in various parts of West Bengal on Monday afternoon. A large part of south Bengal districts received heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder, lightning and high speed wind.
According to government officials, as many as 11 people died in Hooghly district, nine in Murshidabad, two people died each in Bankura, East Midnapore, and West Midnapore districts and one people died in Nadia respectively.
Among the dead, five people from Arambag sub-division in Hooghly and six people including a minor from Raghunathpur in Murshidabad died at a time.
At Naodavi in Raghunathpur, 15 people were working in their farmlands when heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms lashed the area. They then all had taken shelter under a structure of a shallow pump to shield them from rain. But, they were knocked out in a lightning strike. All the people standing under the structure collapsed to the ground immediately. Five people died on way to the hospital while other one succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Seven people sustained burn injuries and they have been admitted to the Jangipur hospital.
Police said the deceased have been identified as Samirul Islam (25), Sunil Das (35), Duryadhan Das (32), Surya Karmakar (23), Majharul Sheikh (16) and Jalaluddin Sheikh (28).
One Enamul Sheikh (46) of Ahiran in Suti, Murshidabad died in lightning strike on way to his house.
In Behrampur, Murshidabad, two persons died and other one sustained injuries when lightning struck the area. They were all working in their farmlands when the rain accompanied by thunderstorm lashed the area.
Police said the deceased have been identified as Prahlad Murari (40) of Hatinagar and Abhijit Biswas (45) of Banjetia.
At Nabadwip in Nadia, a 36-year-old carpenter named as Madhusudhan Das died in lightning strikes as he had taken shelter under a tree during the rain.
In West Midnapore, one Arun Mondol of Jara village under Chandrakona police station limits sustained severe burn injuries as lighning struck the area when he was working in his farm land. He died on way to the Khirpai hospital.
A housewife identified as Archana Roy of Hiradharpur village died in lightning strike when he was working in the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
In a tweet, PM Modi said, “My thoughts are with all those who lost their near and dear ones due to lightning in parts of West Bengal. May the injured recover at the earliest.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the deaths due to lightning strikes and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who were injured.
The West Bengal government has also announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.
Trinamul Congress secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that he would visit the houses of the deceased on Wednesday and Thursday to pay solidarity to the bereaved family members.
