Dhenkanal, Sept 6: In a tragic mishap, at least three people were killed and three others sustained critical injuries after an auto-rickshaw collided head-on with a car on the outskirts of Dhenkanal city in Odisha on Saturday.

The deceased have been identified as Bansidhar Sethy, his wife Kamala Sethy, and the auto-rickshaw driver, Mantu Muduli (30), residents of Karanda village under Balimi police limits in the district.

The injured victims include Bansidhar’s daughter-in-law Sunita Sethy (30) and his 12-year-old son Shri Sai Sethy along with another passenger, Bishwajit.

As per reports, Bansidhar was sick and was being taken to a hospital in Angul by his wife and daughter-in-law in the auto-rickshaw. After examination, the family was returning to their native village when the accident took place on the Khandahat Bridge.

As the auto-rickshaw was making its way back to Karanda, it was struck by a car coming from the Narsinghpur area. The impact was so intense that the auto-rickshaw was pushed off the road and crushed under the car, trapping the victims.

Upon getting the information, local fire services personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the injured. They were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) for treatment.

An investigation has been initiated into the incident, and further inquiries are underway to determine the cause of the collision, said the police.