Twelve people, including three women and a BSF jawan, were killed and five others injured as lightning struck them in different parts of West Bengal on Thursday.
Three women, who had gone to the well to fetch water, died after being struck by lightning at Usti in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday evening, police said.
Two other women, who had accompanied them sustained burn injury and admitted to hospital.
In Malda, 35-year-old BSF jawan Seddha Lingaya was on a routine patrol along the India-Bangladesh border village of Choria-Anantapur during heavy rains when lightning struck him, police said. Another person died at Englishbazar in the district.
In Birbhum district, four persons, including a police constable and a father-daughter duo, were killed as lightning struck amidst pelting rains near Nalhati, police said.
Three persons died in Murshidabad district as lightning strike at Bhatpara locality. The dead included two sisters who were frolicking in a field in torrential rain. Three persons were also injured.