- September 15, 2023
Two of a family killed by lightning in Kangra district
Dharamsala (Arvind Sharma)15/9/23
The Kangra region experienced very rough weather conditions with heavy rain on Friday, resulting in multiple reports of lightning strikes. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives due to lightning in Rakh village near Palampur. The victims have been identified as Thakur Das (69) and Ankit (19), who were grandfather and grandson. They were grazing sheep and goats in the mountains along with another family member, Sanjay Kumar, when the lightning struck.
A government officer said in Dharamsala that, According to the head of the Rakh panchayat, two individuals were killed by lightning while in the mountains with their livestock. A third person who was with them survived and reported the incident. The group was located approximately 8-9 kilometers deep into the mountainous forest. Authorities have dispatched a team to retrieve the bodies and rescue any remaining individuals.
In a separate incident, over 60 sheep were reported to have died due to lightning in Mahal Chakban Dhar, which is part of the Dharamsala sub-division.
Additionally, there have been reports of electrical equipment damage in many houses caused by sudden high voltage due to lightning strikes.
In response to the situation, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dharamshala, Dharmesh Ramotra, sent a team from the Animal Department to assess and address the situation.