LIGHTNING
© Representational Image
In different incidents, five persons were killed due to lighting in Mancherial and Nirmal districts on Saturday evening.

In the first incident, two daily wagers died on the spot and three laborers sustained critical injuries following a lighting strike when they were standing under a tree at Chintapudi-lingala village in Kannepalli mandal of Mancherial district. Medical condition of the two of the injured is said to be critical.

Sources said that the deceased were Choudari Chandraiah (45) and Sidem Bapu (64), residents of Chintapudi-lingala village. The injured included Elkari Shankar and Choudari Shankar belonging to similar village and another laborer from Jilleda of Vemanapalli mandal.

Chandraiah and Bapu were instantly killed by lightning, while the remaining wagers suffered burns due to the electric discharge which occurred at around 6.30 pm. The five were taking cover under a tree, following rains with strong gales and thunders, when they were returning from the work site. They were engaged in Mission Kakatiya works executed in Nalla Cheruvu, on the outskirts of the village.

The injured were shifted to a government hospital in Bellampalli. Medical condition of Elkari Shankar and Choudari Shankar is learned to be serious as they had 70 per cent burns and were under observation of doctors.

In addition to the two daily wagers, Darshanal Raju, a B.Tech student died of similar cause in Bejjala village in Jaipur mandal.

In another incident Digambar (35) and 22-year old Sainath were also killed after being struck by the electrical discharge in Dharkhubeer village of Kubheer mandal and Mudhole mandals of Nirmal district, respectively.

Revenue officials said that financial aid would be extended to kin of the deceased and steps were being taken to provide better medical services to the injured.