Heatstroke claims 3 lives in Ganjam

Belguntha: Three persons allegedly died of heatstroke in separate incidents in Buguda and Belguntha blocks of Ganjam district Thursday. The deceased were identified as Daktar Swain, a Class-IV employee of People’s College in Buguda, Sudhir Chandra Swain, a farmer and LIC agent of Chilikhama village under Buguda police limits and a share-cropper identified as Jagannath Swain of Dhanapunja village in Pailipada panchayat under Gangapur police limits of the district. Daktar Swain was returning home on his bicycle when he fell sick and stopped on the way near an orchard.

Passersby tried to wake him, but in vain. He was rushed to the hospital, Buguda hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. Sudhir had gone to his mango and cashew orchard, where he fell sick and lost his senses. Family members brought him to the hospital, where he was declared dead. Share-cropper Jagannath collapsed suddenly while applying manure in an agricultural field. He was first admitted to Gobara hospital and later, to the Bhanjanagar Sub-Divisional Hospital where he succumbed during treatment.