Three passengers of a battery-run auto-rickshaw were killed and five others injured as a truck rammed into the vehicle on the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway in Rangpur this morning.

Two of the deceased were identified as Morzina Begum (24) and Ripon Chandra (25), our Dinajpur correspondent reports, quoting police.

All the victims were residents of different villages in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari district, said Sajedul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rangpur Sadar Kotwali Police Station.

Quoting locals, the OC said the speeding truck hit the auto-rickshaw from behind at Paglapir on the road around 7:00am after the truck driver lost control over the steering, leaving three auto-rickshaw passengers dead on the spot and five others critically injured.

The accident happened as all the victims were going to Hajir Haat in Rangpur city; they boarded the auto-rickshaw from Kishoreganj upazila, said OC Sajedul.

The injured were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH), the OC added.