Patna: A constable was killed and two others were injured when a speeding private carrier hit a police patrol vehicle head-on on NH-2 in Rohtas district, around 165km southwest of Patna, on Saturday night.

The patrol vehicle fell into a roadside ditch under impact, killing Suryakant Prasad and injuring Parsuram Singh and Thakur Gautam Kumar. They were admitted to the local primary health centre.

"The body has been handed over to the family after post-mortem and a guard of honour at the police lines," said Sasaram sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Alok Ranjan.

The SDPO said the goods carrier also overturned. But its driver fled abandoning the vehicle on the spot.

Gautam was later referred to a Varanasi hospital in a critical state. The police patrol car was badly damaged in the incident. The van was seized.

Cuffs on criminal

Patna and Ara police nabbed Bhojpur-Buxar criminal Botal Mahto along with six accomplices in a joint operation from a house under the jurisdiction of Rupaspur police station.

The police recovered two pistols, around a dozen cartridges and two bikes from his possession. Police sources said Botal faces more than 31 cases of murder, loot and dacoity besides being involved in the murder of son of Mohan cinema owner in Ara in March.