NEW DELHI: In Bihar, fourteen people, including ten polling personnel, have succumbed to heatstroke within the last 24 hours, officials reported on Friday afternoon. According to a statement from the Disaster Management Department, the majority of these deaths occurred in Bhojpur, where five election duty officials died from heatstroke.
Additionally, three election officials died in Rohtas, and one each in Kaimur and Aurangabad districts.“Three election officials died in Rohtas, and one each died in Kaimur and Aurangabad districts. Four other people died in various parts of the State,” the statement said. The process of granting ex-gratia payments to the families of the deceased has started.
Bihar is currently experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 44 degrees Celsius in several areas. On Thursday, Buxar recorded the highest temperature at 47.1 degrees Celsius.
In response to the heatwave, all schools, coaching institutes, and anganwadi centres have been closed until June 8.
In a post on X, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “When government-run schools have already been closed because of pressure from the Opposition, why are teachers being asked to come to schools in this intense heat wave conditions? What will teachers do when students themselves are not in school? Teachers must be given leave in this scorching heat.”
Elections for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar are being conducted in seven phases, with polling in eight seats scheduled for Saturday.