Patna: At least seven people were killed when their auto rickshaw was hit by a speeding truck near Dhanichak Mor on Masaurhi-Naubatpur road in Patna district late night on Sunday.

Police said that both vehicles fell into a roadside water-filled ditch under the impact of the collision. The auto turned into rubble after the truck fell on it. Later, police extricated bodies from the debris with the help of a JCB machine. The auto driver, who also died in the accident, was a native of Hansadih village while other deceased were from Doripar.

Police said that the deceased who were labourers had deboarded from a train at Taregana railway station and were returning to their homes on the auto rickshaw after purchasing household items at a local market in Masaurhi.

Police said prima facie it appeared that the truck driver lost control over his vehicle after the axle of his vehicle broke away, hitting the auto rickshaw. The deceased had been identified as Matendra Bind (25), Vinay Bind (30), Umesh Bind (38), Ramesh Bind (52), Umesh Bind (30), Suraj Thakur (20) and auto driver Sushil Kumar (35).

Further investigation is on in this connection, police added.