Javid Sofi & Arif Rashid
Pulwama/ Budgam, May 06: Four persons including a newly married couple were killed by lightning in Pulwama and Budgam districts of Kashmir on Saturday.
Hilal Ahmad Hanji and his wife, Rozy Jan, were killed by lightning strike at Bujbagh village in Pampore tehsil of Pulwama district.
Local residents of Bujbagh informed Rising Kashmir that the couple were tending their fields when lightning struck them.
“ They were collecting green fodder for their cattle,” a local resident, Adil Ahmad said, adding that the couple had taken shelter under a tree after it started raining .
He said that they were hit by lightning and sustained burn injuries.
“ Villagers noticed them after 15 minutes and they were shifted to sub district hospital Pampore where doctors declared them dead,” he said.L
BMO Pampore, Dr Asima, said that the couple were declared brought dead.
She added that after enquiring they learnt that both of them were struck by lightning and had died on the spot.
Locals informed Hilal belonged to a poor family and was sole bread earner for his aged parents.The residents said that the duo were married some eight months ago.
They appealed to authorities for providing relief to the family of the deceased.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Awantipora, ZaffarHusson Shawl , said that he visited the family of the deceased.
He said that the family has a humble background. “The family of the deceased will be provided relief as per norms of SDRF ( State Disaster Response Fund),” he said.
He said that they will settle the case as soon as possible .
Meanwhile, two persons, including a woman, died after lightning struck upon them in the meadows of the upper reaches of the Khansahib tehsil in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Saturday afternoon.
An official from the Police Station, Khansahib told Rising Kashmir that two persons, including a woman were grazing their sheep in the upper reaches of the meadows of the MujpathriSochalpathri in the Khansahib tehsil. when lightning struck upon them, which resulted in on spot death of both .
The deceased have identified as Mohammad Sultan Chopanand Taja Begum, wife of Abdul SamadChopan, both residents of Gurwaith Kalan of the Khansahib tehsil, police official said.
