Baragada: Two women were killed after being struck by lightning while working in an agricultural field in Baragada district on Thursday, police said.
The incident occurred around noon at Kusurda village under Panimora panchayat in Sohela block. The deceased were identified as Jahnavi Padhan, 45, and Rita Padhan, 32, both residents of Katapali village.
According to local sources, the two women had gone to Kusurda in the morning to work in the fields. While they were engaged in agricultural work, rain accompanied by lightning struck the area, causing both of them to collapse in the field.
As the women did not return home for a considerable period, their family members went in search of them. They later found the two lying in the field and learnt that they had died in the lightning strike.
On being informed, police reached the spot, took the bodies into custody and sent them for post-mortem examination.
