Mother, son among 7 killed in lightning strikes in 4 districts

At least seven people, including a woman and her son, were killed in separate lightning strikes in Gaibandha, Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat and Mymensingh districts on Wednesday (3 June).

In Gaibandha, a woman and her son were killed after being struck by lightning in Saghata upazila in the evening.

The deceased were identified as Kalpona Rani, 55, wife of Shailen Chandra Das of Mandura village, and their son Sohag Chandra Das, 32.

Locals said Sohag, who works in Dhaka, had returned home on leave. When the weather turned stormy in the afternoon, his mother asked him to bring in straw that was left to dry outside the house.

Shortly afterwards, the mother and son went outside and were struck by lightning, leaving them injured.

They were taken to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital, but doctors declared them dead on arrival, said Varotkhali Union Parishad Chairman Md Faruk Hossain.

In Chapainawabganj, two people were killed in as many lightning strikes in Sadar upazila in the afternoon.

The victims were identified as Miraj, son of Md Babu of Bhabanipur village, and Munirul Islam, son of Md Mangal Hossain of Shiala Colony village under Chapainawabganj municipality.

Family members said Miraj was packing mangoes in an orchard around 4:00pm when lightning struck him. Locals rescued and took him to Chapainawabganj District Hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

In a separate incident around 3:00pm, Munirul was struck by a thunderstorm while standing near his house. Relatives rushed him to the same hospital, where he was also pronounced dead.

Officer-in-Charge of Chapainawabganj Sadar Model Police Station Md Ekramul Hossain said police visited the locations after receiving the information and were taking necessary legal steps.

In Joypurhat, two people, including a woman, were killed in separate lightning strikes in Sadar and Panchbibi upazilas.

Joypurhat Sadar Police Station OC Noor Alam Siddiqui said Jahanara Begum, wife of farmer Harun Sheikh of Thiat Bilpara village in Dogachhi union, was struck by lightning while returning home after cutting paddy stalks.

She succumbed to her injuries on the way to Joypurhat 250-bed General Hospital.

In another incident, 59-year-old farmer Shamsuddin, son of late Mofiz of Kuatpur village in Panchbibi upazila, was killed by lightning during a sudden strike.

In Mymensingh's Dhobaura upazila, a teenage boy from an ethnic minority community was killed and another was injured in a lightning strike in Langaljora village.

The deceased was identified as Orko Hajong, 18, son of Oshil Hajong. The injured was identified as Arkoddo, 14.

According to local sources, the two friends went out to play football when lightning struck them during sudden rain.

Locals rescued them and took them to Dhobaura Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Orko Hajong dead. The injured was later sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Dhobaura Police Station OC Shafiqul Islam said the body was handed over to the family following an inquest on request.