lightning
The two took their boat out during a thunderstorm to fish in the Teesta River early Monday morning

Two men were killed in a lightning strike incident while they were out fishing during a thunderstorm in the Teesta River in Rangpur.

The incident took place near Char Cholisshal village at Lakkhitari union in Gangachara upazila early Monday morning.

The deceased were identified as Mokhlesur Rahman, 28, and Manu Miah, 32, of Kalicharan village in Gojoghonta union under the same upazila, confirmed Lakkhitari UP Chairman Abdullah Al Hadi.

Quoting locals, Abdullah Al Hadi said a group of six people from Kalicharan village took their boats out to Char Cholisshal village during a thunderstorm to fish in the Teesta River at around 4:30am.

"Two of them were killed on the spot and four others sustained minor injuries after a thunderbolt struck them," Hadi said.

Locals later recovered the bodies of the victims and handed them over to their relatives, he added.

Regretting the incident, Gangachara police station SI Abdus Salam said: "We have been repeatedly warning locals through the people's representatives not to go to the river to catch fish during storms."