At least three people were killed as a prison vehicle hit a passenger carrying rickshaw-van in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur this evening.

Two the deceased were identified as Jesmin Begum, 25, Anar, 7, of Shaleasa area and Chhafur Uddin, 65 of Kharuabada village of the upazila, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mahbub of Kotwali Police Station told our Rangpur correspondent.

A Rangpur-bound prison van crashed into the three-wheeler around 6:00pm, leaving the three dead on the spot, the police official said.

In protest, locals set the prison van on fire and blockaded the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway for nearly an hour, he added.