7, Including 2 Children, Killed In Lightning Strikes In UP

Seven people, including two children, were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes in Budaun, Etah and Rae Bareli districts of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, officials said.

"Farmers Bablu (30) and Varjeet Yadav (32) were returning home on a motorbike from Ushait Bazar when lightning struck the area along with heavy rain, killing both on the spot," Dataganj Sub Divisional Magistrate Dharmendra Kumar Singh said.

In another lightning incident in Ushait town, Anshika (11) died when she was returning home from school. The three bodies have been sent for post-mortem, Mr Singh said, adding that a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each will be given to the family of the victims.

In Rae Bareli, three people died in Dih, Bhadokhar and Mill area police station areas and three others were seriously injured in lightning incidents.

According to police, Mohit Pal (14) was grazing cattle in the field near Gendalal village under Dih police station area when lightning struck and he died on the spot. Jamuna Prasad (38) was working in the field in Purva village in Mill area police station area when he was struck by lightning.

In a similar incident in Rae Bareli's Sarai Damo village of Bhadokhar police station area, Ramakanti (38) died due to lightning. Three others sustained serious burns when they were struck by lightning in the district and have been admitted to hospital, police said.

"In Etah's Khanjarpur village, Dharmendra (32) died due to lightning when he stepped outside amid heavy rain to fetch fodder for his cattle," Jaithara SHO Khushiram said, adding that the body has been sent for post-mortem.

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