Three days after more than 70 people lost their lives due to a deadly dust storm in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday visited some injured at a hospital.
According to media reports, Adityanath also took an aerial survey of the affected areas.
The chief minister, who interacted with the victims and reviewed the relief measures, was accompanied by other officials. He distributed cheques to people affected by the storm in Agra’s Fatehabad.
“Relief has been provided to the affected. Kin of those who died have been given Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia and the injured are given free treatment in hospitals,” Adityanath was quoted as saying by various media organisations.
Adityanth, who was scheduled to campaign for three days in the poll-bound Karnataka, had rushed back to his state amid opposition’s flak for staying away from his own state even after the storm claimed more than 70 lives.
He was earlier scheduled to campaign in Karnataka till Saturday noon. Parts of western UP were battered in Wednesday’s storm which also struck some districts of adjoining Rajasthan.
Over 40 people died in Agra district alone. Altogether, 124 people were killed and over 300 others injured in five states due to thunderstorms and lightning in the last two days, the Union Home Ministry said on Saturday.