Mahasamund (Odisha): In a tragic incident, five women were killed and six others sustained injuries when lightning struck them when they were working in an agricultural field at a village in the Mahasamund district of Odisha. The lightning struck bordering Ghatkachchar village under the Singhora police station limits of Saraipalli in Mahasamund district of Odisha. In all, 11 women labourers were working in the agricultural field when they were hit by lightning.
Those killed have been identified as Janaki (21), Lakshmi Bai (21), Basanti Bai (42), Jamovati (60) and Noharmoti (50), police said, adding, "While six other farm labourers were rushed to Saraipalli community health centre. One critically injured was referred to a hospital at Raipur Mokahara." When the women labourers were sowing saplings in the farmland, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning hit the region at around noon on Friday, leaving five dead and six injured. The villagers with the help of police rushed the injured to the community health centre. Doctors declared five women brought dead, said sources.
Read: Odisha: Three killed, several injured as lightning strikes
A senior police officer, local MLA and SDM went to the community health centre to enquire about the well-being of the injured. Sarpanch of the village, Biranchi Baital speaking to ETV Bharat said, "The deceased and injured belonged to a poor family. They were working on farmland when lightning struck them at around 12 noon. Five women workers died while six others, who sustained injuries were sent to the community health centre for treatment."
