As many as 30 sheep were killed in a lightning strike on the outskirts of Enmanabetla village in Kollapur mandal of Nagarkurnool district on Saturday, while the shepherd narrowly escaped. The incident occurred around 4.30 pm when Magdham Chinna Venkataiah, a shepherd from the village, had taken his sheep out for grazing.
"At around 4.30 pm, it started raining. To protect the sheep, Venkataiah guided them onto a big rock. However, since about 15 to 20 sheep had not climbed onto the rock, he went down to bring them up, leaving 30 sheep there. That was when the lightning struck, killing all 30 sheep instantly. He narrowly escaped as he had just stepped down," said Madhavi B, tahsildar of Kollapur mandal.
She said officials prepared a report soon after being informed about the incident and submitted it, seeking compensation for the shepherd. On Sunday, tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who was in the district reviewing the paddy situation, extended ₹50,000 as immediate financial assistance to the shepherd.
The minister visited Venkataiah, inquired about the incident, and consoled him, assuring him of full govt support. He also met farmers in the mandal who suffered crop losses due to heavy rains and reviewed the ground situation.
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