Keonjhar: Tragedy struck a wedding reception as lightning strike claimed life of the groom and left the bride critically injured at Tangiripala village under Anandapur block of Odisha's Keonjhar district today.

The tragic incident took place around 5 pm when preparations for the reception were underway. The newly married couple and three others sustained critical injuries as the lightning struck the place.

They were admitted to the Anandpur sub-divisional hospital, where Jitendra Murmu, the groom, died while undergoing treatment. Others, including the bride, were undergoing treatment at the hospital, till last reports came in.

A pall of gloom descended on the village after the incident.

In a similar incident, two youths died and three others were injured in a lightning strike near Dihachakasartha village under Singala police limits in Balasore district. The deceased have been identified as Baburam Singh and Basudev Jena.

The victims had gone to a jetty to repair a machine, during which lightning struck. All of them were admitted to a hospital, where the two were declared dead.