LAHAN: Three persons died and 13 others were injured in a bus-truck collision at Mirchaiya-6 of Siraha along the East-West Highway in the wee hours of Thursday.

The deceased have been identified as Payal Agrawal (33) and Bindiya Gurung (30) of Gangtok, Sikkim and Nanu Rai (35) of Rabi-6, Panchthar.

The incident took place when the bus (Na 5 Kha 4889) en route to Kathmandu from Kakarbhitta collided head-on with the truck (Na 3 Kha 4130) at around 2 am today, according DSP Shyam Singh Chaudhary of the Area Police Office, Mirchaiya.

Anuka Thapa, Biru Kharel, Suman, Sodiya Thapa, Sardiyas Chettri and Saroj Thapa of Kathmandu, Dilu Kalakheti of Sankhuwasabha, Kasim Chettri of Ilam, Lakpa Tamang of Pashupatinagar, Hira Karki, Krishna Bahadur Karki and Aditi Karki of Bara and Manoj Rai of Rabi-5, Paancthar were injured in the incident, DSP Chaudhary informed.

Among the injured, Anuka, Biru, Suman and Sodiya have been sent to the Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar while others are undergoing treatment at the Rekha Nursing Home in Mirchaiya, police informed.

Police said that they have arrested the truck driver Fadendra Rajpuri of Hetaunda-3, Makawanpur while the bus driver is at large.