Five workers of a tea estate in the Jalpaiguri district, suffered serious burn injuries on Tuesday after they were struck by lightning.

Sources said that a group of workers were plucking tea at the Hila tea estate located in Champaguri panchayat of Nagrakata block when thunderstorms, coupled with a heavy downpour, started in the area.

The injured tea workers are Bilaso Munda, Seeta Bauni, Indramaya Bauni, Narbada Chhetri and Manu Newar.

“The tea workers rushed towards a shed to save themselves from getting drenched. Suddenly, there was lightning and all five of them collapsed on the ground. It was found that they lost their senses immediately due to the lightning strike. Other bystanders rushed them to the rural hospital in Sulkapara for treatment,” said a source in the area.

As the news of the accident spread, a team from Nagrakata police station, as well as Ramesh Tirkey, head of the local panchayat, visited the spot.

“All the tea workers have suffered severe burn injuries. They were initially administered with first-aid but they had to be later referred to the super-specialty hospital in Malbazar for further treatment,” Sachin Choudhury, the medical officer of the rural hospital, said.

4 students injured

In another similar incident, four students of Chamurchi Upper Division Primary School got injured at the Chamurchi tea estate in the neighbouring Banarhat block of Jalpaiguri district when they were struck by lightning.

Anurag Oraon, Kumud Gosai, Jisan Ansari, and Roshan Mahali, the four children, were waiting in the school because of heavy rain when the incident occurred.

“All of them are under treatment at the state general hospital in Birpara,” a source said.