Bengal reels under scorching heat, 3 persons dead

Three persons including a polling officer died due to excessive heat while taking part in the election process on Monday.

Among the deceased there was a polling officer who was deployed a polling booth in Pandabeswar in Asansol while the other two were voters from Jamuria in Burdwan and Bishnupur in Bankura. 

According to the Election Commission Parimal Barui who was deployed as a polling officer at booth number 234 under Pandabeswar died after suffering a heart attack. 

It was suspected that he might have died due to excessive heat. Police have said that the other two might have died due to the heat wave sweeping across South Bengal districts. 

Sashanka Bhattacharya who was standing in queue to cast his vote at Jamuria Kenda school fell ill and later died, while the other, Anup Banerjee died after falling ill at a polling booth in Bishnupur. 

The Meteorological office had earlier predicted that heat wave would be sweeping through Western parts of the state and also South Bengal districts.

The heat reached an unbearable degree at the city on Monday as it recorded a temperature of around 40.5 degree Celsius, five degrees above normal in the state, while the lowest temperature in the city was 28.3 degree Celsius, three degree above normal.  There was severe discomfort in as the humidity level was so high. The heat wave was sweeping through Western and South Bengal districts. 

The temperature soared to 45.1 degrees Celsius in Bankura, the highest in the country’s plains on Monday Polls were conducted in the 31 Assembly constituencies amidst rising level of discomfort especially in the noon. People, however, braved the heat and came out in large number to exercise their democratic rights in all the three districts that went to polls on Monday. 

There was enthusiasm among the voters in most of the Assembly constituencies in the three districts as the people turned up at their respective polling stations fighting all odds. 

The mercury was soaring above from the morning in the West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan in some parts of which the elections were taken place. Even in the city many people were seen coming out in the streets with their faces wrapped with pieces of clothes to beat the heat. Normal life was hit throughout the South Bengal.

According to the Meteorological office there is no possibility of rain in South Bengal districts in the next couple of days. 

The temperature may stay around 40 degree Celsius or may be increased by some degrees. The MeT department has alerted that heat wave situation will continue for next few days. According to the department heat wave has been sweeping into the city from Jharkhand and Central parts of India.