Lightning kills 7 as storm lashes Western UP

BAREILLY/PILIBHIT/AGRA: Seven people - three minors, three farmers, and one woman - died and at least 11 suffered varying degrees of burns after being struck by lightning when storms lashed parts of western UP before dawn on Wednesday.
Two siblings - Abhayraj, 6, and Anand, 10 - died, and two of their neighbours suffered severe burns while playing under a mango tree outside their home in Padri village in Kheri district on Wednesday morning.The injured children were taken to the district hospital in Lakhimpur city, where they are out of danger.
The deceased's father, Tej Pal, a farmer, said, "We were home when it started raining. Our children, eagerly waiting for the showers, went out to play and enjoy the weather. They were hit by lightning while plucking mangoes. There was nothing I could do to save them."
In the past 24 hours, at least 12 cattle, including cows and buffaloes, have also died due to lightning strikes in the Agra region. Officials in all the districts said the victims' families will receive Rs 4 lakh in compensation from the state disaster relief fund.