Police said nine persons including two women of Santoshchak village, who had taken shelter under a tree after immersing an idol at Uttar Harishpur as it began to rain, were struck by lightning and died on the spot.
The dead were identified as Tilak Bala Porel (70), Bhim Porel (45), Subrata Dhara (17), Barna Porel (30), Samsundar Malik (20), Nemai Dolui (60), Bharat Dolui (35), Bidyut Dhara (20) and Labkush Porel (40), they said.
Four people were admitted in a local hospital and two of the seriously injured were referred to SSKM hospital in Kolkata, sources said.
