Jamshedpur: Two people, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed and five others sustained burn injuries after a lightning strike hit a gathering during a funeral ritual at Nuaguda village under the Seraikela police station area on Sunday evening, police said on Monday.The deceased were identified as Roshni Suren, 9, and Sonu Sardar, 32. The injured, all from the same family, were identified as Malti Suren, 6, Sonamai Suren, 12, Sunil Gagarai, 18, Baby Suren, 40, and Radhi Suren, 35.Villagers alleged that both victims could have survived had emergency medical assistance reached the village on time.According to local resident Ram Mardi, a shradh ceremony for Saraswati Suren, Roshni’s mother, was under way in the village and attended by a large number of people when heavy rain accompanied by a powerful lightning suddenly struck the area.The lightning hit the gathering, rendering seven unconscious and triggering panic among those present as they rushed to safety. After the weather subsided, villagers attempted to revive the victims by applying cow dung to their bodies, a traditional practice followed in some rural areas of the state and believed to help in such situations.Residents claimed that Roshni and Sonu were still breathing while villagers repeatedly called for an ambulance. However, they alleged that the ambulance reached the village only around 6 pm, nearly 90 minutes after the incident.All victims were subsequently rushed to Seraikela Sadar Hospital, but Roshni and Sonu succumbed to their injuries on the way.“Doctors at the hospital declared both dead,” said Seraikela police station in-charge Vinay Kumar, adding that all injured were out of danger.
