Lightning kills 5 in West Bengal

Five persons were killed and seven others injured in incidents of lightning strikes in Nadia and Bankura districts of West Bengal today, police said.

While three farmers were killed and five others injured at Gajna in Nadia district, two persons were killed and two others injured in the state's Bankura district, the police said.

In Nadia district, the three farmers died when they were working in a field during rain and thunderstorm. When they were taken to the Krishnaganj rural hospital, the three were declared brought dead, a police officer said.

The five injured were admitted to the Shaktinagar hospital, a police officer said.

In Bankura district a 65-year-old woman, a resident of Birsing village, was killed in a lightning strike when she was working in a field, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bankura, Sukhendu Hira, said.

A 37-year-old man was also killed in lightning strike in Manushmari under the jurisdiction of the same police station, the SP said.

Two others, both residents of Merasole, were injured due to lightning strike, he added.