12 killed, 28 injured by lightning in West Bengal

, May 31: Twelve persons were killed and 28 others were injured in four districts of

after lightning struck them during heavy pre-monsoon rains which lashed the state today, official sources said.

Five persons were killed in Murshidabad district, three in Purulia, two in Burdwan district and two in West Midnapore district, the sources said. In Murshidabad, two persons were killed at Maheshpur village, one at Daltonpur village in Hariharpur area, while two others were killed at Rajanagar village in Raghunathganj, official sources said.

Three others were also injured in lightning in Raghunathganj. A woman and two men were killed as lightning struck them in Jhalda, Baghmundi and Kashipur area of Purulia district while they were working in agricultural fields, District Magistrate Tanmoy Chakraborty said.

In Burdwan district, a 48-year-old man was killed in Khandaghosh area when he was working in his field this morning, while a 23-year-old woman was killed when lightning struck the shed under which she had taken shelter during rain in Kumarpur.

Another woman, who was accompanying her for collecting firewood, was seriously injured and admitted to hospital. Two sisters were killed in Gobindapur village under Ghatal area of West Midnapore district when lightning struck while they were returning home from a fair price shop, police said. 24 people were injured in another incidence of lightning at Chandrakona area of West Midnapore district.

They were waiting to join work allotted to them under MNREGA at Tolbostihala village when lightning struck them, police said, adding they were taken to a hospital. The state recorded 30 mm to 50 mm of heavy rainfall this morning, the weatherman said in Kolkata. The pre-monsoon showers were due to fast cloud formation.

A MeT forecast said there will be thundershowers both in south and north Bengal for the next two to three days.

PTI