Lightning kills eight in three districts

Eight people were killed and three others injured by lightning in Sunamganj, Sylhet and Dinajpur districts yesterday and on Friday night.

Our Moulvibazar correspondent reported that seven people, including three siblings, were killed and three others injured by lightning in Dirai and Jamalganj upazilas of Sunamganj and Companyganj upazila of Sylhet on Friday evening.

The deceased were identified as day labourers Milad Miah, 17, and his brothers Shamsul Haque, 45, and Jewel, 23, of Nabiganj upazila in Habiganj district; Jamshed Ali, son of late Abdul Khaleque of Borargaon village, and Gyanendra Das, 62, of Charnarchar village in Dirai upazila; Babul Miah, 23, of Gazaria village in Jamalganj upazila; and Sorai Miah, 32, of Adarshagram village in Companyganj upazila of Sylhet.

Officer-in-Charge Bayes Alam, of Dirai Police Station said Milad, Shamsul and Jewel were struck by a thunderbolt while harvesting paddy at a haor at Sakitpur at around 5:00pm. Locals took the three siblings to the upazila health complex where the doctors declared them dead.

A thunderbolt hit farmers Gyanendra Das and three others while they were harvesting paddy at Kalikuta haor in the upazila at around 5:30pm. Gyanendra died on the spot while three others sustained injuries.

Lightning killed farmer Jamshed at a paddy field at Bhorargaon village at around 6"00pm.

In Jamalganj upazila, Babul Miah was struck by a thunderbolt while working at a paddy field at Gazaria village at around 5:00pm. He died instantly.

In Sylhet, a thunderbolt hit farmer Sorai Miah near a water body at Adarshagram village under Companyganj upazila of the district at around 7:00pm. He died on the spot.

According to our Dinajpur correspondent, a man was killed by lightning in Birganj upazila yesterday.

The dead was identified as Hamidul Islam, 31, son of Alam Uddin of Dakkhin Faridpur village.

Police quoted locals as saying that Hamidur was struck by lightning while working at a paddy field at around 2:00pm.