Gumla/Chatra: At least six persons, including a teenager and an 11-year-old girl, were killed and 11 others injured in multiple lightning strikes across Lohardaga and Chatra districts amid heavy rain on Thursday and Friday. Several cattle also died and property was damaged in the incidents.In Lohardaga, two women and an 11-year-old girl died, while eight others were injured in separate lightning strikes.Ghurti Oraon (48) died on the spot after being struck by lightning while working in a field at Salgi Kolpara village under Kuru police station limits. Her husband, Karma Oraon, sustained severe burn injuries, while another woman, Saraswati Devi, was also injured.In another incident at Churhu village under Bagdru police station limits, Hashida Khatun (48) was killed while grazing goats. One of her goats also died in the strike, while her co-villager Nabir Khan was injured.An 11-year-old girl, Neelam Kumari of Dumdru village under Serengdag police station limits, also died after being struck by lightning.At Tisia Nawatoli under Kisko police station, four people — Sonmati Devi, Neetu Kumari, Mahendra Munda and Saraswati Devi — were injured after lightning struck a house where they had taken shelter during the rain. The strike also damaged an asbestos-roofed house and a solar-powered water tower.Lohardaga Sadar Hospital deputy superintendent Dr Shankar Prasad said, “Three persons, including two women and a child, were brought dead, while eight others injured in lightning strikes are undergoing treatment.”In Chatra district, three more people killed and three injured in separate lightning strikes.Pooja Kumari (16), a resident of Tikurtand in Rimi village under Lawalong police station limits, died after being struck by lightning while sitting in a mango orchard near her house. Lawalong police station officer-in-charge Chandan Kumar said police sent the body for post-mortem examination.In Mahugai village under Mayurhand police station limits, Saroj Devi (44) was struck by lightning while doing household work outside her residence. She sustained severe burn injuries and died before she could be shifted for treatment.Sahdev Thakur (50), a resident of Karma village in Mayurhand block, was also killed in a lightning strike. Mayurhand police station officer-in-charge Rahul Dubey said both bodies were handed over to their families after post-mortem.In Tarog village under Sadar police station limits, Sikandar Bharti and his son Ashish suffered critical burn injuries while trying to untie cattle sheltered under a tree during the rain. Around six head of cattle were killed in the strike. In a separate incident, 65-year-old Baleshwar Bhuiyan was seriously injured after lightning struck while he was taking shelter under a tree in Itkhori. He is undergoing treatment at Chatra Sadar Hospital.Meanwhile, the Lohardaga district administration issued an advisory urging residents to avoid open fields, trees and other exposed areas during thunderstorms and to follow weather alerts issued by the meteorological department.
