Lightning strike kills farmer in Sitalkuchi; storm wreaks havoc across Dinhata

Cooch Behar: A sudden and severe storm accompanied by heavy rain on Tuesday morning claimed one life in Sitalkuchi of Cooch Behar district, while causing widespread damage across Dinhata. Some persons have been injured also.

The deceased has been identified as Ananta Barman, a farmer from Mira Para locality under the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency. According to local sources, Barman was working in his tobacco field when the storm struck unexpectedly.

As he attempted to return home amid the inclement weather, he was hit by a bolt of lightning and sustained critical injuries. He was immediately rushed to the Sitalkuchi Primary Health Centre by local residents, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the entire locality.

Upon receiving news of the tragedy, Trinamool Congress candidate for Sitalkuchi, Harihar Das, along with party leader and Block President Tapan Guha, visited the spot and met the bereaved family. Speaking to reporters, Guha said the incident was “deeply tragic” and noted that the deceased lived with his wife and widowed mother, leaving the family devastated.

Meanwhile, the storm caused extensive damage in several parts of Dinhata. Strong winds uprooted trees and disrupted normal life in both rural areas and the town. In the Panitanki area, multiple trees were uprooted, while in Panch Matha More and Sahebganj, electric poles collapsed, leading to injuries to one person.

The injured individual was taken to Dinhata Sub-Divisional Hospital, where primary treatment was administered.

Trinamool Congress candidate for Dinhata, Udayan Guha, also visited the affected areas during his election campaign to assess the damage caused by

the storm.