Lightning kills 9 in Sirajganj

A total of nine people, including five of a family, were killed and four others injured as lighting strikes hit them at Ullah Para upazila of the district today.

Shah Alam ,40, son of Nurul Islam of Matikora village of the upazila, Abdul Quddus ,60, son of Bahadur of the same village, Mobakhor ,40, son of Imam Pramanik of Shippur village, Monaf ,18, son of Mokab of the same village, Shamser Ali ,60, son of Saber Ali, Afsar Hossain ,63, Shaheen,21, son of Shamser Ali, Ritu Khatun ,14 and Jannati Khatun, 14.

All of them were procuring plants of Aman paddy at Matikora Dakshinpara village of Ullapara upazila in the afternoon, said Panchakroshi Union Parishad Chairman Tauhidul Islam Firoz.

Once the rain started, they took shelter in a Shallow house near the field, he said, adding that subsequently, the thunderbolt fell on that house, leaving seven of them dead on the spot. Other two persons succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital, he added.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ujjal Hossain said that each victim family has been given financial assistance of Taka 25,000 from the disaster management fund.

Ullapara Model police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam said the bodies were handed over to their families.