Road accidents caused by dense fog claimed the lives of five policemen and left four others injured in two different incidents in Rohtas and Saran districts late on Monday night.

The injured policemen have been admitted to local government hospitals where the condition of one is critical.

Four policemen were hit by a speeding truck on NH-2 in Rohtas district around midnight when they were conducting vehicle checks on the busy road under the jurisdiction of Shivsagar police station, around 165km southwest of Patna. Assistant sub-inspector Arun Rai died on the spot. A special auxiliary police (SAP) jawan, Umesh Rai, and driver Ashok Pandey succumbed to injuries at Sasaram hospital. Another SAP jawan, Bhairon Oraon, is battling for life at a hospital.

The police said the truck coming from Kaimur could not see the policemenbecause of the fog. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled. The stone chip-laden truck has been seized, acting Rohtas superintendent of police (SP) Parvez Akhtar said. The bodies of the dead were handed over to their kin after post-mortem.

In the other incident, four policemen were hit by a speeding truck during night patrol near Shyam Bazaar under the jurisdiction of Mufassil police station in Saran district, 120 km northwest of Patna, late on Monday.

A homeguard jawan died on the spot, another succumbed to injuries at Chhapra hospital. Assistant sub-inspector Satya Narayan Singh said the accident happened when the policemen tried to intercept a truck near Zeradei. The truck driver escaped in his vehicle.