A former Bengaluru tech professional who left his corporate career to pursue farming died after being struck by lightning in a paddy field near Mysuru on Tuesday, according to reports.
The deceased was identified as Hosoklu Roshan Balakrishna, a resident of Heravanad village near Madikeri in Karnataka’s Kodagu district.
Roshan had previously worked in the IT sector before deciding to shift to agriculture. Along with a colleague, he had recently begun farming activities and was also involved in promoting and marketing modern agricultural equipment.
Reports said Roshan was travelling with his wife and son when they stopped near Yelwala to visit their farmland. During the visit, he reportedly went to pluck mangoes when lightning struck him, causing him to collapse on the spot.
Another individual accompanying him sustained minor injuries in the incident but survived.
Roshan’s funeral was later held in his native village of Heravanad. He is survived by his wife and son.
Meanwhile, the Mysuru district disaster management unit has initiated steps to provide financial assistance to Roshan’s family. The family is expected to receive a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, including Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 1 lakh from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
