Kolkata, 6 August (H.S.) – West Bengal’s Bankura district has been reeling under a spate of deadly lightning strikes, with 11 fatalities reported over the past 15 days. The state disaster management department confirmed on Wednesday morning that two more people died on Tuesday evening in separate incidents.

According to the report, 55-year-old Raju Bagdi of Palashi village in the Indas police station area and 63-year-old Jayanta Mondal of Patit village in the Patrasayer police station area were killed while planting Aman paddy in their fields. Both died instantly after being struck by lightning. Police have sent their bodies for post-mortem to Bishnupur District Hospital.

District authorities said a series of low-pressure systems since the onset of the monsoon has triggered continuous rainfall in Bankura. The resulting thundercloud activity has led to an unusual spike in lightning incidents. On July 24 alone, nine people lost their lives in a single day. The death toll has now reached 11, leaving rural communities in a state of fear.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh