Date:04/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100459990900.htm

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Lightning strikes 7 persons dead

Special Correspondent

Six members of a constable family among the dead

KURNOOL: Lightning struck dead seven persons in two different incidents near Owk reservoir in Kurnool district on Friday.

Six members of a constable family died in an incident that happened between Kunukuntla and Owk, 90 km from here.

According to reports, the family of Mali Basha (46), head constable at Banaganapalli police station, was returning after the post-Ramzan celebrations at Tekke Swamy Dargah near Owk reservoir.

They stopped for a while to seek shelter when there was a drizzle. A lightning struck killing six people on the spot when the family was about to resume journey.

Three sustained burns. The deceased were identified as Mali Basha, his wife Shabbir (42), Khajamohiddin (40), Ismail (25), Basha, (driver 50) and Rohit (12).

Ch. Subbarayudu was also struck dead by lightning around the same time at Ramapuram village, four km from the spot.

A pall of gloom descended on the house of Basha when the bodies of the victims were brought.

Two of the injured were treated as out-patients and one was admitted for serious burns. Ruksana, daughter of Basha, was in a state of shock after the incident.

When MLA Katasani Rambhupal Reddy went to console the victims, there was hardly any important member in the family left to talk to.

Mr. Basha who worked for a long time at Banaganapalli station had close contacts with a large section of people.