Sushil Dutta
Early Times Report
Rajouri, May 5: Hundreds of goats belonging to five families of the Bakerwal community died due to lightning in Potha village of Rajouri city last night.
According to the information, five Bakerwal families Shahjahan, Ghulam Rasul and Mohammad Akhtar were going to the high hills of Srinagar with their sheep and goats from the Panj and Dhangari areas of Rajori. During the night, they stopped in a forest area in Potha village and all gathered the goats under the same tree.
Meanwhile, suddenly a series of lightning strikes began at night. About 157 goats of all the five families died due to lightning. Victims Ghulam Rasool and Shah Jahan said that they had the only support to raise their families and have come on the road completely from their deaths. He does not understand exactly where he should go after losing his sheep. The victims, while pleading with the district administration, asked them to provide some relief to compensate them for their loss.
Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Sheikh Nazir said that 157 sheep and goats belonging to five persons were killed in the lightning last night. “I am presently on the spot along with other officers of the administration and police,” DC said.
The DC said that Rs. 50,000 each would be given to five families under Red Cross will be given to them besides; he said funds under SDRF will be also given to the families as compensation.
“I have directed concerned department to allot the sheep units to each one of them,” DC said. He also announced free ration in favour of the affected families.
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