In a tragic turn of events, three schoolgirls lost their lives after being struck by lightning in Jharkhand on Thursday. The incident occurred in Hondpiri village, which falls under the Narkopi police station's jurisdiction, approximately 50 km from the state capital.
The young victims, Pari Oraon (5), Anjlika Kujur (7), and Basmati Oraon (12), were on their way home from the Government Middle School in Hondpiri when the lightning struck around 3 pm. They were immediately rushed to a hospital; however, doctors declared them dead on arrival. Nageshwar Sahu, the Narkopi police station in-charge, confirmed the devastating news. The bodies of the girls have been sent for post-mortem examination.
In a separate incident on the same day, a 38-year-old farmer was also killed by a lightning strike in Bahera village in the Chainpur area of Palamu district. The farmer, identified as Luv Kumar Choudhary, was working in his field when the incident occurred, according to Chainpur police station in-charge Sriram Sharma.
The local authorities have announced that the families of the deceased students will receive compensation of Rs 4 lakh each, in accordance with government provisions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a heavy rain alert for Ranchi, Jamtara, and other districts of Jharkhand until August 24. This tragic incident underscores the dangers posed by lightning strikes, particularly during the monsoon season.
