Six killed, eight injured in lightning strikes across Bengal

Kolkata: Six people including two women were killed and eight injured due to lightning in different parts of the state on Friday.

The incidents took place in East and West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan and Cooch Behar.

A 42-year-old man, Ranajit Chakraborty, was killed at Khagrabari in Cooch Behar and four persons were left injured after being struck by lightning. The injured persons were admitted to a hospital.

Two women were killed in East Burdwan. A 48-year-old woman, Sandhya Singha, a resident of Chakpara at Khandaghosh in East Burdwan was declared brought dead when taken to a hospital after being struck by lightning.

The other victim, Jyotsna Singh, was also a resident of the same place and was declared brought dead when taken to the hospital. In a similar incident of lightning, one Srikanta Maity was killed at Mahisadal in East Midnapore.

The two other persons, who were killed due to lightning, were from West Burdwan and West Midnapore districts. Manoranjan Santra (40) was struck by lightning while returning home and was declared brought dead when taken to hospital.

It may be mentioned that there was a prediction of heavy rainfall in districts — Howrah, Hooghly, Jhargram, East and West Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas. There is also a prediction of heavy rainfall in one or two places of the districts on Saturday. There are also possibilities of rainfall in Kolkata, Nadia, Murshidabad, Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia, East and

West Burdwan.

According to an official of the state government, all the concerned district magistrates have been directed to take necessary steps as a warning for the fishermen have been issued and they are advised not to venture in the sea till July 22 as a low pressure trough formed over northwest Bay of Bengal.

The warning for fishermen comes after 19 of them went missing after their trawler capsized three days ago. According to an official of the state government, bodies of nine fishermen have been found and ten are still missing.

It may be mentioned that the state government has assured support to the victim's family members.