Two commandos of the elite anti-naxalite wing of the police -- Greyhounds -- were struck dead by lightning in the forest near Konapur village of Amangal mandal in Mahbubnagar district on Wednesday afternoon.
Another junior commando who suffered a head injury is undergoing treatment at a corporate hospital here.
A sub-inspector of Amangal police station Sai Kumar said the personnel were part of a 22-member team of the Greyhounds at its unit at Premavatipet near Rajendranagar here. The team had reached the forest for training as part of a refresher course around 12.45 p.m. An hour later, it rained to the accompaniment of thunder. The team had split into small groups and spread out in the forest by then.
The lightning struck E. Sudhakar and K. Anil as they were huddled together along with Rajanna under a plastic sheet. Sudhakar and Anil died on the way to hospital though there were only minor external injuries on their person. Rajanna was admitted to hospital.
The police officer said the Greyhounds personnel regularly practiced in the forest of Konapur. The victims were constables of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police.
