Kasaragod: A toddler who underwent heart surgery 22 days ago died during a thunderstorm in Kasaragod on Tuesday night. The family, migrant workers from Nepal employed at a dairy farm in Cheemeni village, suspect she died from the shock of a sudden thunderclap.

The deceased has been identified as Ashmita, the one-year and eight-month-old daughter of Bansare Bohara and Panera.

Ashmita had undergone surgery at a Kochi-based hospital to correct a congenital heart defect, said Ganeshan Chanadukkam, the owner of the farm at Muthuparappally. "The hospital bore the full cost of the surgery and medicines," he said.

When contacted, hospital officials said Ashmita was born with a rare condition called transposition of the great arteries (TGA), where the two main blood vessels connected to the heart are switched. She also had a ventricular septal defect (VSD) -- a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart.

"The open-heart surgery involved reconnecting the arteries to their correct positions to ensure normal blood flow. The hole was also closed to prevent mixing of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood," said a hospital official.

A heavy thunderstorm lashed Kasaragod on Tuesday night. Around 8 pm, a loud thunderclap rang out, and Ashmita reportedly startled and collapsed in the same instant, said Ganeshan, quoting her parents. "I rushed to their quarters. I could hear her heart ticking," he said.

Ganeshan rushed the child to a hospital in Cheemeni. From there, the doctors referred her to the Government Medical College at Pariyaram in Kannur district. "She died before reaching Pariyaram," he said.

Ganeshan’s farm is run by four workers -- Ashmita’s parents and her father’s brother and his wife. They joined the farm six months ago. Ashmita also has an elder sister.

Cheemeni police have registered a case of unnatural death. Officers said they are awaiting the autopsy report from the medical college before confirming the cause of death.