Sundargarh/Junagarh: Three people, two of them prisoners, were killed by lightning at the Sundargarh jail and at Junagarh of Kalahandi district Tuesday.
In the first incident, the dead are two prisoners serving jail terms at the Sundargarh jail. They are Abhiram Soreng, (33), of Shankara Kendupada in Sundargarh and Mana Bhogel, a resident of an area coming under Sadar police station limits in the town.
The incident occurred when prisoners were working in the garden on the jail premises, jail superintendent Amiya Pattnaik said.
Pattnaik said that eight prisoners were engaged in gardening under the supervision of jail official James Xalco. They ran into an asbestos roofed house in the garden to take shelter when rain accompanied by lightning lashed the area. However, lightning struck them inside the house. Jail officials rushed them to the district headquarters hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.
Soreng was arrested on May 23, 2011 and was in jail after he was awarded life imprisonment by the district sessions judge on September 29, 2014.
Similarly, Bhogel was arrested along with his brother in a gang-rape case on March 3, 2012 and was sentenced to 10-years of imprisonment by the additional district and sessions judge on December 24, 2013. Police sent the bodies for post-mortem.
In the second incident, a woman was killed when lightning struck her at Goudchhendia Koshapada village in the Junagarh block of Kalahandi district.
The woman, Brundabati Bag, was the wife of farmer Bikram Bag. She was on her way to her farm. Her family rushed her to the Junagarh community health centre where doctors pronounced her dead. She is survived by two minor daughters. Locals demanded financial assistance for the bereaved family. PNN
