Odishatv Bureau

Khurda: At least six children were killed and 12 others injured today when lightning struck them while they were playing a cricket match.

Sources said the victims were in the age group of 10 to 20 years. The incident occurred when the children were playing cricket in an open area on the outskirts of Jaripada village near Kalupada under Tangi block in the district.

When the climate turned worse and started raining, all the players and spectators went into a huddle and took shelter at one place. All of a sudden, lightning struck the area, leaving four children dead on the spot and injuring 14 others.

The injured children were rushed to the district headquarter hospital here and Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. However, two more children breathed their last while undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the State government has announced Rs 1.5 lakh compensation each to family of victims and said that it will bear all the medical expense of the injured. This was declared by Parliamentary Affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh in the State Assembly.

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