Five persons, including three children, died when a truck rammed into an e-rickshaw and a motorcycle on NH12 at Itahar in North Dinajpur district on Wednesday night.

Police sources said the e-rickshaw and the bike was plying on the wrong lane when the accident occurred.

After the accident, locals rushed to the spot and rescued the victims. They rushed the victims to Raiganj Government Medical College & Hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that the e-rickshaw and the bike were moving along a wrong lane. The truck was coming from the opposite side and it rammed into vehicles at Chavor More,” said Sumit Kumar, SP, North Dinajpur.

“A probe is on and searches are on to nab the truck and its driver,” he added.

The police said the deceased — identified as Swapan Das, 40, Pinki Das, 32, Panchami Das, 15, Ishan Das, 2, and Anirban Basak, 14, — were residents of Itahar. It appers that the victims were relatives and were returning home after attending a marriage function.