Eight people have been killed by lightning strikes in separate incidents in three districts - Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Kurigram, in two days.
PANCHAGARH: A young man was killed by lightning strike in Atwari Upazila of the district on Tuesday night.
The deceased was identified as Pakhin Chandra Burman, 27, a resident of Aloakhoar Jhakua Village under the upazila.
Local sources said that Pakhin went to cut grass in a field for cows and goats in the afternoon. On the way to home with the grass in the evening, thunderbolt struck on him, which left him critically injured.
He was then rescued by locals and taken to Atwari Upazila Health Complex at night, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Atwari Police Station (PS) Musa Mia confirmed the incident.
THAKURGAON: Three people were killed and nine others including women and children injured after being struck by lightning in separate incidents in Sadar and Baliadangi upazilas of the district on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Ariful Islam, 15, son of Dulal Islam, and Monir Islam, 14, son of Nazrul Islam, residents of Lauuthi Village under Sukhanpukur Union in Sadar Upazila; and Ataur Rahman, 23, a resident of Kalibari Village under Amjankhor Union in Baliadangi Upazila.
Quoting locals, Thakurgaon Sadar PS OC ABM Firoz Wahid said that a streak of lightning struck in Lauuthi Village of Sadar Upazila when Ariful and Monir along with three others were bathing in the Bhulli River amid heavy rainfall, which left the two teenagers dead on the spot.
Three others including Faruk, Farid and Fazila Begum were injured at that time and are currently receiving treatment at Thakurgaon Adhunik Sadar Hospital.
Meanwhile, Baliadangi PS OC Md Firoz Kabir said that Ataur Rahman and several others were sitting outside their homes in Kalibari Village under Baliadangi Upazila in the afternoon. At that time, thunderbolt struck them, which left Ataur, Roman, Rana, Sakibul and Faisal critically injured.
Later on, locals rescued the injured persons and took them to Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex, where Ataur succumbed to his injuries.
In another incident, a woman, named Manjura Begum, wife of Ashraful Islam, was also injured while tending to cattle in Udaypur Village of the upazila when she was struck by lightning. She and the other injured individuals are being treated at local health complexes.
Superintend of Police in Thakurgaon Uttam Prasad Pathak confirmed the incidents, adding that three separate unnatural death cases were filed with Sadar and Baliadangi PSs in these connections.
KURIGRAM: Four people were killed by lightning strikes in separate incidents in Ulipur and Sadar upazilas of the district in two days.
Two persons were killed by lightning strikes at separate places in Ulipur Upazila.
The accidents took place in Shaheber Alga Union of the upazila on Monday and Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Kajali Akter, 10, daughter of Abdul Quader, a resident of Haquer Char under Shaheber Alga Union in the upazila; and Jamal Uddin, 50, son of Omed Ali, a resident of Jahajer Char area in the same union.
According to local sources, Kajali Akter along with her mother Nurina Begum, 40, went a char to fetch cows on Tuesday afternoon. At around 4 pm, thunderbolt struck them, which left Kajali Akter and a cow dead on the spot.
It was known that Nurina Begum was unharmed.
Earlier, on Monday evening, farmer Jamal Uddin also died on the spot after being struck by lightning in Jahajer Char area of the union while he was returning home after fetching his cattle.
Shaheber Alga Union Parishad Chairman Mozaffar Hossain confirmed the incidents.
On the other hand, two farmers were killed by lightning strike in Sadar Upazila of the district on Monday afternoon.
The incident took place in the char area near Kadamtala of the upazila at around 4 pm.
The deceased were identified as Md Ashraf Ali, 50, son of Salur Mahmud, and Ainul Islam, 38, son of late Sader Ali. Both of them were residents of Kadamtala Village under Panchgachhi Union in the upazila.
Local sources said that Ashraf and Ainul were returning home after herding their cows in a field of the area in the afternoon. On the way, a streak of thunderbolt struck them all of a sudden. Ashraf died on the spot and Ainul was critically injured at that time.
Seriously injured Ainul was then rescued, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way to Kurigram Sadar Hospital.
Kurigram Sadar PS OC Masudur Rahman confirmed the incident, adding that an unnatural death case was filed in this regard.
