Lightning Tragedy: Superstition and Struggle in Latehar

In Jharkhand's Latehar district, a tragedy unfolded as a 45-year-old cattle breeder named Ramnath Yadav succumbed to a lightning strike. His superstitious relatives kept his body in a mound of cow dung, hoping he would revive, defying efforts by police and doctors to secure his body for a post-mortem examination.

The incident occurred when Yadav and his wife, Shobha Devi, were grazing cattle in Rampur village. Shobha survived, while Yadav was declared dead at the Mahuadand Community Health Centre. Despite official declarations, his family took the body from the CHC, prompted by superstitious beliefs.

Persistent efforts by police and medical professionals to retrieve the body continued until midnight, with eventual success only after using some force. A post-mortem was scheduled to proceed, ensuring that the family could claim state compensation for lightning-related deaths under disaster management rules.

(With inputs from agencies.)