At least 18 persons, including women and children who took shelter under a tree to protect themselves from rain today, were injured when lightening struck at Urlung village in Ramgarh district, the police said.
The injured were admitted to Sadar hospital in the district headquarters in Ramgarh as well as Central Coal Fields Limited hospital at Ghutua of Barkakana of the district, Ashok Kumar, the police station officer in-charge of Barkakana out post police station of Ramgarh district said.
The police officer, who rushed to the spot soon after the incident, said at least 18 persons sustained burn injuries in the lightening strike as a number of villagers including women and children took shelter under a tree following rain.
Those injured belong to farmer families and engaged in sapling plantation while some were looking after cattle at the nearby paddy field, he said.