Engineering student killed in lightning in Ranipet; Minister promises relief

Ranipet: A first-year engineering college student was killed in a lightning strike during the sudden showers in a village near Wallajahpet in Ranipet district on Friday evening. The deceased, Vigneswaran (18), went to take the family cow outside its stall when it rained. However, he was struck by lightning when he was leading the animal to its stall. Even though he was immediately rushed to the hospital, he was declared brought dead. Vigneswaran is the son of former serviceman Munusamy of Ananthalai village in Wallajahpet taluk and is studying first year ECE in a private engineering college at Poonamallee in Chenna. The body was sent for post mortem examination in the same hospital. Handlooms minister R Gandhi and collector S Valarmathi paid their respects to the victim at the hospital. The minister consoled the kin of the victim and promised official relief at the earliest.