3 more deaths due to lightning reported in J'khand, toll 15

Three more deaths due to lightning strikes have been reported in Jharkhand, taking the toll in the state to 15, senior police said on Thursday. On Wednesday, 12 people were killed by lightning in four districts of the state - six in Jamtara and two each in Dumka, Pakur and Ramgarh.

According to the officer, two farmers - Vijay Verma (26) and Santoshi Paswan (35) - died in separate incidents of lightning strikes on Wednesday in Giridih district. Both of them were working in their fields.

In Palamu district, 56-year-old Aditya Dubey, who took shelter under a tree due to heavy rain, was also struck by lightning, he said. In neighboring Bihar, too, 39 people have died across a dozen districts due to lightning.