Pipili: A 55-year-old man from Malibarahi village in Kulasekhar Patna Panchayat under Pipili police station limits in Puri district lost his life after being struck by lightning on Monday afternoon.
The deceased, identified as Suresh Bhoi, was heading to his agricultural field around 3 PM when the tragic incident occurred.
According to local sources, a sudden bolt of lightning struck him while he was walking with an umbrella, which was completely charred in the impact. The strike caused severe burn injuries to his chest and abdomen.
His family members immediately rushed him to Community Health Centre (CHC) at Mangalpur for urgent medical attention. However, upon arrival, doctors declared him dead.
The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the village, with locals mourning the sudden and untimely loss of Bhoi, a well-known resident of the area. The local administration is expected to initiate procedures for lightning-related ex gratia compensation as per government norms.