Rourkela/Sundargarh: With Kharif crop sowing and paddy transplantation in full swing, farmers and agricultural laborers are toiling day and night in the fields. Amidst this, a harrowing incident has occurred in Balishankara, under the Talsara police station limits of Sundargarh district. Lightning struck with devastating force, hitting agricultural laborers who were planting paddy. Two female laborers died on the spot, while more than 20 others suffered severe burns. The incident has caused panic and distress across the entire area. According to reports, Champa Tirkey and Sushila Tirkey—residents of Bardihi Tumla in the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh—were working alongside other male and female laborers in a field at Batipada, Balishankara. In the afternoon, the weather suddenly turned; amidst loud thunder and rain, a bolt of lightning struck the very field where they were working.The impact of the lightning strike was so severe that Champa Tirkey and Sushila Tirkey died instantly. Meanwhile, 20 other laborers working nearby were also caught in the strike and sustained serious injuries. Immediately following the incident, a rescue operation was swiftly launched with the help of locals and the administration. All the injured have been admitted to the Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital, where a team of doctors is providing intensive treatment. As news of this tragic accident—befalling poor women who were toiling in the fields to earn a livelihood—spread, a pall of gloom descended upon Balishankara and the surrounding areas, leaving the local community in deep shock and mourning.
