Bhubaneswar: Four persons including a minor girl have been killed while at least 14 persons sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning in different parts of the state since Saturday.
In the first incident reported from Ganjam district, lightning claimed the lives of a minor and her friend, leaving 12 other girls critically injured while they were working in a farm Sunday afternoon.
The deceased have been identified as Runima Gouda (16) and Latika Gouda (18).
The incident was reported from Mahaguda village under Bhanjanagar police limits.
As per sources, lightning struck the 14 girls when they were engaged in a paddy field. They were rescued and admitted to a nearby hospital. However, Latika and Runima were declared dead upon arrival.
The condition of the other girls was stated to be critical. The incident has spread fear among the villagers.
Similarly, lightning struck two persons dead while they were working in a paddy field on the outskirts of their village in M Rampur block of Kalahandi district Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Srikara Majhi and Biswakarma Majhi.
In the third incidents, two persons, believed to be a woman and her daughter, sustained critical injuries after being struck by lightning while working in a field in a village of Nabarangpur district.
PNN
