Patna, July 5 (IANS) At least 7 persons including women and children were killed and over half a dozen others injured after being struck by lightning in Bihar's Gaya district on Tuesday, police said.

A district police official said the seven belonged to a village under Chakand police station in Gaya, about 100 km from here.

An official of the disaster management department confirmed the deaths. Last month, as many as 57 people were killed by lightning across Bihar within 24 hours. Lighting strikes, during the monsoon season which started from June's second week, are common in Bihar.