Three spectators of a hockey math were killed and two others were injured when lightning struck a tree shortly after the match was abandoned due to rains in Sundargarh district today, police said.
The five were among hundreds of people who had gathered to watch the local hockey match at Sagbahal under Talsara police station area.
The match was half way through when it started to rain and it was called off.
Several people, including the five victims, took shelter under a banyan tree that was struck by lightning, police said.
While three persons, including two brothers, were declared brought dead at hospital, two others were admitted there in a serious condition, police said.
The hockey match between a local team and another from outside was part of a tournament popular among the local tribal community.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)