Rayagada: In a tragic incident, three persons lost their lives and one sustained critical injuries after being struck by lightning while working in a cotton field in Bishnuguda village under Rayagada block on Friday.
According to reports, the victims, including 45-year-old Sambari Pidika, were engaged in cotton farming when the lightning strike occurred. All four were rushed to the hospital, but doctors declared three of them dead. Sambari’s elder sister, Pande Pidika, is undergoing treatment and her condition is stated to be critical.
The incident has cast a pall of gloom over Bishnuguda village. Local authorities have been informed, and assistance to the affected families is expected as per government norms for lightning-related casualties.