Mandya: In a collision between a car and an auto-rickshaw that occurred on Wednesday night, three passengers in the auto-rickshaw reportedly passed away near the Kanigal Gate on the outskirts of Malavalli Town. The two people in the car are said to have sustained grievous injuries in this accident. 

The deceased have been identified as Bengaluru-based individuals namely Ravikumar (50), Bhaskar (48), and the auto driver Shrinivas (35), a resident of Huligere village in Maddur Taluk, it is learned. The two critically injured individuals were reportedly admitted to the VIMS hospital in Mandya. 

Ravikumar, who is the state-level secretary of the pro-people’s forum known as Jaya Karnataka, had visited his home village in Kanikahalli and was returning to Bengaluru in the auto when the vehicle he was travelling in met with the accident, it is learned. An oncoming car had reportedly crashed into the auto-rickshaw near Kanigal on the national highway. 

While the auto-rickshaw was entirely crushed in the accident, the car has been damaged, it is learned. 

A case has been registered in this regard at the Malavalli rural police station.

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Patna, Apr 10 (PTI): At least 25 people were killed in lightning strikes and hailstorms in several districts of Bihar on Thursday, officials said.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Nalanda reported 18 deaths, followed by two in Siwan, one each in Katihar, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Bhagalpur and Jehanabad.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, however, claimed in a post on X that over 50 people died on Thursday.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of more than 50 people in various incidents of storm, rain, lightning, tree and wall collapse in Bihar. I express my deepest condolences. May God provide strength to the families affected by the disaster in this hour of grief,” he wrote in Hindi.

He also said that the state government should compensate farmers for their crop loss due to the sudden rain and give them proper compensation.

Earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

On Wednesday, 13 people had died in lightning strikes in four districts of Bihar.

The India Meteorological Department has issued an ‘orange alert’ (be prepared) for a number of districts, including Darbhanga, East Champaran, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul, Gaya, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Nalanda, Nawada and Patna.

It has also forecast heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday in these districts.

"Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) likely to occur at few places over Madhubani, Darbhanga, East Champaran, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul, Gaya, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna," the IMD said in a bulletin.

Water-logging was also reported on Thursday from several parts of Patna following heavy rain.

The state capital recorded an average of 42.6 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm.

Officials of the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) and district administration, however, claimed that rainwater was drained out in the shortest possible time despite the downpour.