A 53-year-old goatherd and more than 15 goats were killed after being struck by lightning at Saduperipalayam village near Arani town in Tiruvannamalai on Wednesday.
Police said that K. Markandeyan took more than 15 of his goats for grazing in the open land on the outskirts of the village. Around 2 p.m. when rain poured in the village, he rushed to a small room near his house along with his goats to take shelter. However, all of sudden, the room was struck by lightning. Along with his goats, Markandeyan died on the spot. Based on the alert, Arani taluk police reached the spot and sent the body to the Government Taluk Hospital in Arani town. A case was registered.
In a similar incident, three students of the Government Higher Secondary School in Sampathrayanpettai village near Nemili town in Ranipet fell unconscious after they watched a lightning thunder on the playground from their classroom in the school. Police said the affected students were sitting on the window side of the classroom. The incident happened around 2.45 p.m. on Wednesday. Among the three students, two are girls and are studying in class VI and class VIII. The third student was aged 11 years and was in VI standard. Immediately, the school authorities rushed the students to the Government Taluk Hospital in Arakkonam town where doctors said that their condition was stable.
Based on the alert, Nemili police filed a case and an investigation is underway.
