24 killed, 12 injured after being struck by lightning in UP

At least 24 people were killed and 12 others injured on Thursday due to incidents of lightning in various districts of the state, officials said here.

Nine persons were killed in Deoria, six in Prayagraj, three in Ambedkar Nagar, two in Barabanki, one each in Kushinagar, Pratapgarh, Balrampur and Unnao due to lightning, an official report said here.

Taking note of the these incidents, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died in these incidents.

He also directed officers to provide the best health care facilities to those injured in such incidents.

Among those injured, eight are from Deoria, two in Barabanki and one each in Prayagraj and Amethi.

Earlier on Wednesday three persons, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed and a woman was injured in separate incidents of lightning in Banda and Lalitpur districts.

Raj Narayan, 38, a farmer, was killed when he was struck by lightning while working in his field in Itwa village under Bisanda police station area of Banda on Wednesday evening.

His body was handed over to his family members after post-mortem examination, police said.

In another incident, a 12-year-old girl died and a woman received serious burns after being struck by lightning in Chakora village under Baan police station area of Lalitpur district.

In a similar incident in Lalitpur, a 37-year-old farmer, identified as Bhanguta, was killed while working in his field in Tila village under Baar police station area.

MET department has forecast heavy rain at isolated places over east UP on June 26.