Kolkata, Sep 19: At least one person was killed, and 22 others were injured after lightning struck a group of football players and spectators who had taken shelter under a tree during a rainstorm at a football tournament in West Bengal’s Jhargram district, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday evening in Kumarbandh village under the Lalgarh police station area, where a two-day football tournament had been organised for Vishwakarma Puja. According to local residents, play was halted after sudden rain accompanied by lightning. Players and spectators gathered under a tarpaulin erected beneath a tree when a lightning bolt struck the shelter.

Officers of Lalgarh police station reached the spot after receiving the information. The injured were rescued and first taken to the Lalgarh Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared one person dead.

The condition of four others was critical. They were quickly shifted to the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital. Later, on the instructions of the district administration, the remaining 17 injured were also taken to the same hospital. One person is undergoing treatment at the Lalgarh Rural Hospital.

The deceased was identified as Deepen Murmu (19), a Class 11 student and a resident of Kumarbandh village.

According to police, a two-day football tournament for 16 football teams was organised at Kumarbandh on the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. This was the first day of the football tournament when the tragedy struck.

Recalling the incident, eyewitness Sagen Hansda said a powerful lightning strike plunged the area into darkness. When he regained his senses, he found most of those gathered lying on the ground and helped move them from a waterlogged area of the playground to safer ground.

Manav Singla, Superintendent of Police, Jhargram, said police acted swiftly to rescue the victims and ensure their transfer to hospitals for treatment.

Local MLA Lakshmi Kanta Sau visited the hospital and met the injured. He said the state government had directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment and extend all necessary support to the affected families.

Hubballi (Karnataka), Sep 19: Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Amit Shah, who arrived in Hubballi late on Friday night, will participate in various programmes in Karnataka on Saturday, including the inauguration of a new KLE medical college, hospital in Hubballi and the new headquarters of Shri Beereshwar Cooperative Credit Society in Examba, Belagavi district.

Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, taking to social media X on Saturday, stated, “Welcomed Shah in Hubballi and said his presence had brought renewed energy and enthusiasm among party workers across the state.”

Vijayendra further said Shah’s presence and guidance would provide greater strength to the party organisation.

Several BJP leaders were present during HM Shah’s arrival in Hubballi, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP national vice-president and Rajya Sabha member M. Nagaraj, former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister and MP Jagadish Shettar, Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Durgamma Bijawad, MLAs Arvind Bellad and Mahesh Tenginakai, and Legislative Council member Lingaraj Patil.

HM Shah arrived in Hubballi late on Friday night and stayed at a private hotel. He is scheduled to take part in the two programmes in Hubballi and Examba on Saturday.

HM Shah will inaugurate the new KLE JGMM Medical College and Hospital and Medical Research Centre at 11 a.m. at the KLE JGMM Medical College and Hospital in Hubballi.

The new KLE medical campus at Gabbur has been developed over 50 acres and includes the medical college and hospital facilities. Reports ahead of the inauguration said the integrated campus was built at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore.

Later, HM Shah will travel to Examba in Belagavi district, where he will inaugurate the new headquarters building of Shri Beereshwar Cooperative Credit Society at 2.15 p.m. at Shri Beereshwar Bhavan on the Examba-Chikkodi Road.

According to his programme shared on social media X, HM Shah will travel to Maharashtra’s Kolhapur by special aircraft after his Hubballi programme and proceed from Kolhapur to Examba in Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district, by road.

HM Shah’s Karnataka visit is part of his two-day programme in the state on September 18 and 19.

New Delhi, Sep 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly recruited youth in various government organisations at the 20th Rozgar Mela and address them via video conferencing on Saturday.

The Prime Minister will also address the new appointees who are expected to simultaneously attend the Rozgar Mela at 45 locations across the country, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The newly recruited candidates will be joining various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, including the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Defence, among others, said the statement.

With the 20th Rozgar Mela, a total of about 12.75 lakh youth will have received appointment letters in various departments and government organisations, said the statement.

The Rozgar Mela reflects the government’s continued focus on creating employment opportunities for the youth and ensuring their greater participation in the country’s development journey, said the statement.

At the previous Rozgar Mela held in May, PM Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly appointed youth in various government departments and organisations.

In his message to the new appointees, the Prime Minister said the world is excited about India’s youth and technological progress.

“The world wants to become a part of India’s ‘Vikas Yatra’. India is forming partnerships with different countries, and the sole motive behind this is that India’s youth get opportunity, employment and confidence, as well as global exposure,” he added.

Since October 2023, Prime Minister Modi has distributed around 12 lakh recruitment letters through the ongoing Rozgar Mela initiative, with individual events often handing out tens of thousands of appointment letters at once, according to reports.

This marks one of the largest direct government recruitment drives since he took office in 2014, according to a statement.

“Vikas Yatra” describes India’s multi-year, government-led development journey, highlighting policy reforms, infrastructure projects, social-welfare schemes, and cultural renewal as integrated elements of national progress.