At least five persons, including three women labourers and two of a family, were killed and three others critically injured after being struck by lightning in two separate incidents in Odisha's Deogarh and Malkangiri districts today.
Three women labourers were killed and another was grievously injured as lightning struck them when they had taken shelter under a tree near Pendrakhol in Deogarh district, police said.
The victims, who worked in a nearby crusher unit, had gone out for lunch when the mishap took place.
The deceased were identified as Sarita Baa, Sabita Dehury and Sushila Penthei while the injured was admitted to the district headquarter hospital at Deogarh, police said.
In a similar incident in Malkangiri district, a man and his daughter were killed and his son and another daughter critically injured as lightning struck them when they were working in the agriculture field at Samaratugudi under Mathili police station jurisdiction.
The deceased were identified as Chakra Bhumia (35) and his daughter Sumitra (12), police said, adding, his 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter who were also present at the site sustained serious burn injuries.
