Bhubaneswar: Three more persons Saturday died at separate places in the state after they were struck by thunderbolt taking the toll to 13 in last two days, according to a report.
In the first incident, a man and two buffaloes were killed in Dharakote block of Ganjam district, police said Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Ramesh Chandra Goud (45) in Bahada village. He had gone to wash himself in Rushikulya river when a thunderstorm accompanied by lightning lashed the area. He couldn’t return home.
The family searched for him but failed. His body was recovered Saturday morning in the river islet. Dharakote police registered a case and handed over the body to the family after post-mortem.
Two buffaloes of Fakir Goud in Janbili village were also killed in lightning in the same islet. The tehsildar reached the spot and promised compensation for Goud.
In another incident, a fisherman was killed in lightning late Friday night. The deceased was identified as Megha Gain (55) of Sundarparpur Colony under Tangi police limits. He was fishing in Chilika lake from atop his boat when a thunderstorm lashed the area. His colleagues rushed him in critical condition to the Tangi community health centre where the doctors pronounced him brought dead.
Police registered a case and sent the body for post-mortem. Residents and fishermen sought financial assistance for the kin of the deceased.
In the third incident, Triveni Singh, a 43-year-old woman of Kukudapada village under Morada police limits in Mayurbhanj district died after she was struck by lightning bolt. The mishap took place when she was tending goats on a river bank. As she did not return home for hours, her son and daughter searched for her and spotted her body on the bank.
Locals demanded immediate help to the poor family as the woman’s husband has migrated outside the state in search of a job.
PNN