Fire destroys wheat crop in Amethi, farmer dies of shock; Irani draws water from hand-pump

A major fire destroyed around 100 acres of wheat crop in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district Sunday, following which a 55-year-old farmer died of shock, officials said.

Union minister and BJP candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani, who was campaigning in the area, stopped a meeting and rushed to Gobardhanpur village in the district.

In a video which surfaced online, she was seen using a hand-pump briefly as villagers fetched water and tried to douse the blaze, before fire tenders reached the stop.

Congress MLC Dipak Singh also visited the village to enquire about the incident.

According to Amethi tehsildar Pallavi Singh, "Around 100 acre of wheat crop turned into ash. Ram Kishor Yadav (55) died due to trauma as a significant quantity of his crops were also gutted".

Earlier in the day, a fire destroyed standing crops in around six villages in Etawah district.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Chakarnagar) Indrajeet Singh said the incident occurred in villages in Bharthana and Chakarnagar tehsils of the district.

"With fast wind blowing, the fire engulfed farms spread over an area of 8 km," he said.

The villages affected by the fire in Chakarnagar tehsil are Ingoori, Darga Pura Ulichi, Maanpur Shala, Maanpura and Jaitapura. Paraspura village in Bharthana tehsil was also affected, he said.

Fire tenders were also called from neighbouring districts of Auraiyya and Mainpuri.

Officials said the fire was doused around 5.30 pm.