CUTTACK: Villagers in Tigiria block of Cuttack district were forced to carry the bodies of two farmers on their shoulders for over three kilometres on Sunday after an ambulance allegedly failed to reach the spot where the duo was killed in a lightning strike.
The incident triggered unrest with angry villagers staging a road blockade at Nijigarh with the dead bodies.
The deceased were identified as Mandaradhar Pati (30) and Nabakishore Rout (55) of Bishnupur village under Hatamala gram panchayat.
According to reports, the two had gone to their farmland in the afternoon to water the vegetable crops. As a thunderstorm accompanied by a brief spell of rain swept through the area, they took shelter in a hut. However, a lightning strike reportedly hit the structure, setting it on fire and killing both the men.
Both Pati and Rout were charred and died at the spot. Villagers rushed to the area and extinguished the blaze. They alleged that despite informing the ambulance service, no vehicle arrived to transport the bodies.
Aggrieved over the alleged inaction, villagers carried the bodies to Nijigarh, more than three kilometres away, and staged a road blockade demanding an explanation for the failure of the ambulance to respond. The protest continued till the filing of this report.
Inspector-in-Charge of Tigiria police station Ramakant Nayak was holding discussions with the protesters who remained firm on their demand for accountability and action.