The accident took place at around 8.30 am when a minibus carrying people to a church collided with a truck at Banskhopa crossing in the Kansa police station area on the National Highway 2.

Following the accident, the irate locals blocked the road.

The police resorted to a mild lathicharge and burst teargas shells to disperse the mob.

Three persons were also arrested.

According to the police, a group of 30 people was travelling in the minibus to St Michael’s Church in Durgapur to attend a religious festival.

The driver of the bus, and three people — Easter Soren (46), a teacher of a missionary school in Raina, Narayan Soren (19) and Prasuneshwar Soren (35), both residents of Khaondoghoh — died on the spot.

Sixteen other passengers received minor injuries and have been admitted to the Durgapur state general hospital.

Angry locals demanded better traffic management and said that the administration’s negligence has made the area an accident-prone zone.