Lightning kills four in Nagpur district in separate incidents over two days
Two cousins, a farmer and a woman labourer died in separate lightning strikes across Nagpur district on Friday and Saturday.
Four people died in separate incidents of lightning strikes during heavy rain in Nagpur district on Friday and Saturday. The incidents occurred in different tehsils of the district and included two cousins, a farmer and a woman labourer.
In Tishti (Khurd) village of Savner tehsil, two cousins were killed by lightning. The deceased were identified as Tiburaj Rajeram Kanfade, 64, and Laxman Ghanshyam Kanfade, 55. The two had gone to graze cattle near their fields on Friday. When they did not return home by late evening, their families and other villagers began searching for them. Around 9 pm, both were found dead in the premises of the Mata-Maa temple in Tishti (Khurd) Shivar. Villagers said the two may have taken shelter in the temple premises to escape the rain and lightning, and were struck there. Both men were from poor families, and the deaths have added to hardship for their households.
In Bhija Khedi village, under the jurisdiction of Kanhan police station, 65-year-old Sulochana Thakre, who had gone to work as a labourer in a field, also died after being struck by lightning. On Friday evening she had gone to the field along with other women to work. Around 5 pm, heavy rain began along with thunder and lightning, and Sulochana was struck and killed. When she did not return home by night, her family began searching for her, and her body was found in the field on Saturday. On being informed, Kanhan police reached the spot, registered a case and began investigation.
Separately, in Akola Shivar of Umred tehsil, 60-year-old farmer Mahadev Shivram Sakharkar died on the spot after being struck by lightning while working in his field on Saturday. A bullock was also killed in the incident, while another was seriously injured. According to information, Sakharkar was working in the field around 4:30 pm on Saturday when the weather suddenly changed and lightning struck. He suffered severe burns and died on the spot. Local residents gathered at the scene after news of the incident spread, and the deaths have cast a pall of mourning over Akola village and the surrounding area.
