Lightning strikes Chhattisgarh; 3 dead, 9 injured

Three persons, including a minor girl, were killed and nine injured in a lightning strike in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district on Sunday, police said. The incident took place at around 4:30 pm in Burjudih village under Pandrapath police chowki (outpost) limits, located 400 kilometres from state capital Raipur, an official said.

"As per preliminary information, lightning struck a small eatery in the weekly market of the village that left 12 people injured. Three of them, including the 12-year-old daughter of the eatery's owner, died in a hospital in Shankargarh in neighbouring Balrampur district," Jashpur Additional Superintendent of Police Pratibha Pandey told PTI.

One of the injured was shifted to Ambikapur hospital due to his critical condition, officials said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel directed officials to provide compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to kin of the deceased under RBC (Revenue Book Circular) provisions, a government statement said.

He also instructed officials to ensure the best medical treatment is provided to the injured, it said.