NONGSTOIN: A pregnant woman, her unborn child and her five year old son died in Mawkohroit locality of Mawliehbah village in West Khasi Hills on Tuesday night after they were struck by lightning.
The deceased have been identified as Ritalis Kharbani (24), a seven month unborn baby in her womb and her five year old son Nestarlan Kharbani.
Eye witnesses informed pressmen on Wednesday that the incident occurred on Tuesday at around 7:45 PM. The victim’s husband was yet to return home from his daily labour.
“I was shocked when I heard the lightning strike near my home but I had no idea that the lightning had struck my daughter and my grandson,” said a grieving Regina Kharbani, mother of Ritalis Kharbani, while speaking to The Shillong Times on Wednesday.
She added that when she came out of her house, she saw that her daughter’s house was engulfed in a huge and roaring inferno.
She further informed that she and her son in law tried to douse the fire by throwing water and earth but the fire got bigger by the second. “We cried for help and kicked on the door to get inside but the fire was too strong and we were helpless,” said Regina.
The fire was finally doused when the villagers joined hands and poured enough water on the flames but it proved too late as both the mother and her son were killed.
The villagers suspected that both of them died on the spot when the lightning struck since the victims neither cried for help nor made any attempt to escape the inferno.
