Plucking ‘bel patra’ (leaves of Bengal Quince) to sell it on the occasion of Mahashivratri proved fatal for a kid in Kaushambhi as he was lightening him and struck them on the tree killing a boy and leaving two others injured. 

As per reports, some children from Seghraha hamlet of Pashchim Sharira were plucking ‘bel’ leaves to sell it along with flowers outside temples on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Friday. As they were busy plucking leaves during a drizzle early Friday morning, lightning struck the tree leaving three kids with critical injuries. They were rushed to district hospital by the villagers where Heeralal Pal’s son Satyam (8) was pronounced dead upon arrival while the condition of Brijesh Pal’s son Ankush Pal (7) and Bhani Pal’s son Abhal Pal (7) were stated to be critical. They were later referred to Moti Lala Medical College in Prayagraj for advanced treatment. 

Meanwhile in Banda, a couple was killed when a speeding jeep crushed them while the man was going to drop his wife at her parent’s home on Thursday night. As per reports, Radhey Shyam (44) of Girwan in Banda was going to drop his wife Raj Kumari (40) to her parent’s home for celebrating Maha Shivratri. While they were crossing Mahua hamlet late on Thursday night, a speeding jeep suddenly their bike as a result the couple died on the spot. The errant jeep driver fled the scene with the vehicle. The couple had four children and who were staying with Rajkumari’s parents. 

A case was registered and efforts were underway to identify the vehicle and arrest the driver. 

Meanwhile in another mishap in Banda, 10 devotees were injured, four of them seriously, when a truck carrying them overturned in neighbouring Fatehpur district on Friday. The devotees were returning after visiting a temple when the mishap took place. The truck driver tried to overtake another vehicle near Azmatpur village of Lalauli police station when it turned turtle. The injured were later admitted to a government hospital.