Jharkhand lightning strikes leave 14 dead, several injured

At least 14 people were killed and eight others were injured in lightning strikes across Jharkhand’s Giridih, Dumka and Latehar districts on Tuesday, police said.

Of the 14 deaths, nine were reported from Giridih, three from Dumka and two from Latehar.

Khorimahua sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Amarendra Kumar told PTI: “At least seven people were killed and three others were injured due to lightning strikes across three police stations under my sub-division in Giridih district.”

He said five people were killed and three others were injured in the Deori police station area while they were sitting at a place after playing. Four of the deceased were aged between 18 and 20 years.

Kumar said one person each was killed under the Gawan and Naudiha police station limits.

In Dumka, three people were killed and four others, including a child, were injured in separate lightning strike incidents under the Ramgarh and Hansdiha police station areas, a police officer said.

In Latehar, two people were killed and a woman was critically injured in separate lightning strike incidents under different police station areas, police said.

Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav said the two deaths were reported from the Chandwa and Sadar police station areas.