THURSDAY SQUALL: FOUR OF MIGRANT FAMILY AMONG 7 KILLED IN PATIALA
Migrant family died in a wall collapse; two bike-borne men were killed after a tree fell on them in Rajpura
PATIALA: Seven people, including four members of a migrant family from Uttar Pradesh, were killed at Rajpura and Sanaur towns in Patiala district following a thunderstorm accompanied by high velocity winds on Thursday night. The wall of the shanty of the migrant labourers collapsed in Rajpura, killing the four members of the family on the spot. The dead were identified as Girish, Ramshiri, Madhu and Radhika. They worked as labourers in the Rajpura grain market and belonged to Budaun district of UP. Two motorcycleborne men died in Rajpura when a tree fell on them.
PATIALA: Seven people, including four members of a migrant family from Uttar Pradesh, were killed at Rajpura and Sanaur towns in Patiala district following a thunderstorm accompanied by high velocity winds on Thursday night.
The wall of the shanty of the migrant labourers collapsed in Rajpura, killing the four members of the family on the spot. The dead were identified as Girish, Ramshiri, Madhu and Radhika. They worked as labourers in the Rajpura grain market and belonged to Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh.
“They had taken this place on rent. During the storm, the wall gave way, killing all four on the spot,” said Vijay Kumar, a relative of the victims.
Police said that the four had made shanties on a piece of land rented by a commission agent. A wall of an adjoining house collapsed, and they died when the debris fell on them.
Two motorcycle-borne men died in Rajpura when a tree fell on them. The tree was uprooted by the high-velocity wind.
In another incident, a labourer died in the Sanaur area of Patiala. The thunderstorm damaged property with nearly two dozen factories and residences reporting storm-related injury or loss.
Roofs of rice mills, factories, petrol pumps and solar panels of many households were also damaged. Most of the damage is in Rajpura, Urban Estate, Sanaur, and Nabha areas.
The district administration, however, has claimed that only five persons were killed in storm-related incidents.
“The thunderstorm has caused massive loss. Twelve houses and 147 cattle sheds across a number of villages have been damaged beyond repair. We have sent a report to the revenue secretary for further action,” said Kumar Amit, Patiala deputy commissioner, adding that this was just a preliminary report and the damage was still being assessed.
The electricity department is working overtime to repair all broken lines and poles to restore power in the area at the earliest.
Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Sanaur, has demanded announcement of compensation for the damage at the earliest.
He has also sought early restoration of electricity, especially for paddy growers. “Two storms in a row have caused a massive loss to farmers who owned livestock. The cattle sheds were damaged/blown away in the high-velocity wind. The government should announce and release compensation,” he said.
MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN RAJPURA, URBAN ESTATE, SANAUR, AND NABHA AREAS