KHOTANG: A lightning strike on Saturday killed one and injured 15 other audience watching Baksila Gold Cup Football Tournament in Khotang district.

The deceased has been identified as Jagat Bahadur Rai (60) of Sapteshwar-4 in Khotang. Rai was watching the match from the veranda of the school when the lightning struck, said the president of the Baksila Football Club, Sameer Rai.

The lightning struck when the audience were watching the 9th Baksila Gold Cup Football Tournament organised by Baksila Football Club at Prithvi Higher Secondary School playground. The match was being played while it was raining lightly on the 5th day of the tournament.

It has been reported that the lightning has damaged the main door of the school.

The tournament which was scheduled to end on Sunday has been postponed until further notice due to the disaster .

Mina Sunuwar, Pramila Bishwakarma and Chandra Basnet of Baksila-7; Ram Kumar Rai and Dil Kumar Rai of Baksila-6 are among the critically injured while others injured are Bhumika Rai, Baldhwaj Shrestha, Chunkala Sunuwar, Menuka Bishwakarma, Prakash Shrestha, Januka Bishwakarma and Birkha Tamang of Baksila; Elina Rai of Patheka; Gopi Rai and Umesh Rai of Sapteshwar, informed District Police Office, Khotang.

The injured are being taken to Kathmandu on a helicopter for the treatment, said the president Rai.

Meanwhile, another lightning strike at Nunthala in the district killed Bibishova Rai, a 73-year-old woman of Mahure, Nunthala-1, according to DPO, Khotang.