A deputy sarpanch and two other men were killed while five women suffered injuries after lightning struck a worksite in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Friday morning, officials said.

The incident occurred at Kalgaon village under the Antagarh development block when villagers were engaged in pond-deepening work under a government scheme, an official here said.

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Nearly 70 villagers were working at the site when lightning suddenly struck, leaving eight persons with burn injuries, he said.

Three persons, identified as Deputy Sarpanch Manraj Patel, Santosh Patel and Prakash Patel, died in the incident, the official said.
The five injured women were admitted to the Community Health Centre in Antagarh, where they are undergoing treatment, he added.

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The villagers were engaged in the work under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) scheme, previously known as the MNREGA scheme, when the incident occurred, as per the official.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Daily Jagran team)