An Agartala-bound IndiGo aircraft carrying 147 passengers and crew members was struck by lightning on Friday morning while waiting for takeoff during a thunderstorm at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport here, officials familiar with the matter said.Two ground staff members were taken to hospital following the lightning strike. (Representative file photo)Two ground staff members working near the plane were affected by the strike and were rushed to a nearby hospital. They were later discharged after receiving treatment, officials added.The passengers and crew aboard the aircraft were unhurt.“The lightning strike occurred around 9:25 am, just minutes before the scheduled takeoff. There were 141 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported inside the cabin,” a senior airport official said.Following the strike, the aircraft was grounded for a mandatory safety inspection, and alternative arrangements were made for the flyers.“As a precautionary measure, the passengers were safely deboarded. They later departed for their destination in an alternative aircraft at around 12:50 pm,” the official added.An official statement from IndiGo is awaited.