Lightning kills nine in Bihar

Nine persons, including five women were killed and 13 others injured in Kaimur, Nawada and Aurangabad districts of Bihar due to lightning in the past 24 hours, officials said today.
Kaimur district registered four casualties, all of them women, while three others sustained injuries after lighting struck them in different villages under Bhabhua, Sonhan and Bhagwanpur police station areas today, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Madan Kumar Anand said.
The victims were identified as Malti Devi (45), Sanju Kumari (18), Hemanti Devi (40) and Arti Devi (35), he said adding that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.
The injured persons, identified as Demanti Devi, Parvati Devi and Somari Devi have been admitted to Sadar hospital for treatment, Anand said.

Lighting struck these women while they were planting paddy saplings on farmland, the police officer said.
In another incident, three unidentified men were struck by lightning in Nawada district, DSP Sanjay Kumar Pandey said adding, the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

In a related incident in Aurangabad district, two persons, including a woman, were killed and ten others injured after lightning struck them at different places, police said.
A youth Sikander Yadav (18) was fatally struck by lighting in Phulwaria village under Tandwa police station area late last evening, while he was tending to his cattle in a field, Tandwa police station in-charge Anil Dubey said.

A woman identified as Chando Devi was hit by lightning, while she was taking shelter under a tree in Majhauli village under Deo police station area, police station in-charge Pramod Kumar said adding, she died on the spot.
Ten persons sustained burn injuries after lightning struck them in Bodhi Bigaha village under Simra police station area, the police said.
The injured have been admitted to Sadar hospital where the condition of three of them was stated to be critical, they added.