Raighar: As many as three persons including two women were killed and eight others sustained grievous injuries as an auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling had a head-on collision with a speeding truck near Jodenga under Raighar police limits in Nabarangpur district, today.

Identities of the deceased and injured persons have not been ascertained yet, a police official said.

According to a source, the fatal mishap occurred when the truck driver was negotiating a turning by overtaking a moving passenger bus. About ten persons were travelling in the three-wheeler. Three passengers on board the ill-fated auto-rickshaw died on the spot. They were on their way to attend the Dasah (tenth-day) ritual of their relative. The truck was proceeding from Jeypore to Raipur. Driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle leading to the road mishap and three deaths.

Some locals rescued the injured and rushed them to a health facility in Jodenga for treatment.

On being informed, Raighar police reached the spot and seized the two vehicles. Police have registered a case in this connection and initiated a probe to ascertain the cause behind the road mishap.