A tragic lightning incident occurred on Thursday in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, where lightning struck a group of women working in a paddy field in Lasra Kala village, under the jurisdiction of the Bardah police station. The sudden strike resulted in the death of 40-year-old Neetu Devi and left six other women with severe burn injuries. The loud thunderous strike triggered immediate panic among nearby agricultural workers, who quickly assembled to assist in rescuing and transporting the victims to nearby medical facilities.
Lightning Strike During Paddy Weeding
According to local accounts, several village women were collectively weeding a paddy crop in the agricultural fields of Lasra Kala village. Without significant advance warning, a high-decibel lightning bolt struck the field directly. The impact instantly affected seven women working close to one another: Neetu Devi (40), wife of Harikant Ram; Anita Devi, wife of Santosh; Renu Devi, wife of Rajkumar; Radhika Devi, wife of Shahju Ram; Sarita, daughter of Jagdish; Sanjana, daughter of Rambhuvan; and Geeta Devi, wife of Phoolchand.
Casualty Declared At Hospital And Critical Referrals To Jaunpur
Following the disaster, local residents rushed Neetu Devi, Anita Devi, and Renu Devi to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Mahuja. Upon arrival, attending doctors evaluated Neetu Devi and pronounced her dead. Among the survivors, Anita Devi, who is pregnant, along with Renu Devi, sustained critical burn injuries. Considering their delicate condition, medical staff provided urgent stabilization before referring both patients to the District Hospital in Jaunpur for specialized care.
Four Additional Injured Transported Via Emergency Ambulance
Simultaneously, the remaining four injured women—Radhika Devi, Sarita, Sanjana, and Geeta Devi—were picked up by a 108 Ambulance service team and brought to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Thekma. Medical officers at the PHC administered initial emergency care to the four patients and subsequently referred them to the District Hospital for comprehensive evaluation and continued treatment.
Family Distress And Police Inquest
The news of Neetu Devi's death brought severe grief to her household. She is survived by her husband, who works as a manual laborer, along with three sons and a daughter. The sudden demise of the primary caregiver has left the impoverished family in severe distress. Bardah police station personnel arrived at the location after being alerted. Police Station In-charge Chandradeep Kumar stated that officers completed the official inquest report (panchanama) and sent the body for a post-mortem examination.
Local Demands For Administrative Compensation
The fatal accident has spread anxiety among agricultural workers across the surrounding villages. Local residents have urged the district administration to promptly provide financial compensation to the bereaved family of Neetu Devi under applicable government relief norms, while ensuring complete medical coverage for all six hospitalized victims.
Recurring Lightning Disasters Across Uttar Pradesh
Lightning incidents during bad weather spells have caused repeated casualties across Uttar Pradesh. Recently in Moradabad district, lightning struck five individuals taking shelter beneath a tree, killing two people and critically injuring three others. Earlier severe weather events involving heavy rainfall, squalls, and lightning across Uttar Pradesh resulted in 18 human fatalities, five injuries, and the loss of 24 livestock animals, prompting directives from the Chief Minister for immediate state relief assistance.
