BARIPADA: At least five persons including three women were killed and six others including two children injured as lighting struck them in Mayurbhanj district on Friday afternoon. The incidents were reported from Baripada Sadar, Udala, Badasahi and Kaptipada block areas.
The deceased were identified as Sagar Majhi (47) of Kashipal village and Manasing Soren (82) of Badapeta village under Baripada Sardar police limits, Sarojini Behera (20) of Sarbana village under Kaptipada police limits, Gurubari Tudu (22) of Udala and Samabari Tudu (40) of Gudialbandh village under Barasahi police limits.
Baripada Sadar police station IIC Tilottama Rout said the lightning struck when some people were performing the last rites of their relative on a river bank in Bedapeta village. They had taken shelter under a tree to get respite from the thunder storm.
While Sagar and Manasing died on the spot, Rengta Tudu (23) and two children Krushna Murmu (8), Mansi Murmu (7) were critically injured along with three others. Police rushed the injured to Baripada district headquarters hospital.
Sarojini and Gurubari were struck by lightning when they were returning home from the field. Similarly, Samabari, a daily wager, was struck when she was busy in road construction work. Their bodies have been sent for post-mortem and separate unnatural death cases have been registered.