Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 13 Jun: Two persons lost their lives while two others sustained injuries following separate lightning strikes in Haridwar district this morning. The incidents occurred amid sudden inclement weather, with one lightning strike happening near Hussainpur village and the other in Jainpur village, both within the Laksar region.
At around 8:30 a.m., three women from Mutkabad village had gone to remove weeds in a sugarcane field near Hussainpur when unexpected rain began to pour. Seeking shelter, they huddled beneath a mango tree in the field. According to the eyewitnesses, one of the women, Bholi (45), wife of Pawan, was standing on one side of the tree while the other two, Aasbati and Balesh, stood on the opposite side. Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck the tree directly, fatally injuring Bholi on the spot. The other two women were also injured in the incident and began calling for help in a state of panic.
Villagers working in adjacent fields rushed to the site upon hearing the cries and immediately alerted others. A large crowd gathered, and the police were informed. Officers from Laksar Kotwali, along with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the scene shortly thereafter. Senior Sub-Inspector Manoj Gairola confirmed that Bholi’s body had been recovered, and the panchnama had been conducted before sending the remains for post-mortem examination. The injured women were admitted to hospital for medical care.
In a separate but similarly unfortunate incident, a 22-year-old man from Jainpur village also died due to a lightning strike during the same spell of adverse weather.
The twin tragedies have cast a pall of gloom over the affected villages. Residents have urged the district administration to provide immediate compensation and support to the families of the deceased. The local villagers have affirmed that they have apprised the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Tehsildar of the situation and are awaiting administrative assistance.
