Patna: At least nine persons, including seven children, were killed and four others injured in two major road accidents in Araria and Vaishali districts on Tuesday, leaving families grieving.

In Araria, a sports utility vehicle (SUV) carrying nine persons hit a roadside tree before plunging into a water-filled ditch near Sukhsena village, around 325km northeast of Patna.

"Altogether six children have died in the accident that has happened under the jurisdiction of Tarabari police station, while one child has been rescued and admitted to hospital. Prima facie, the driver was at fault," Araria superintendent of police (SP) Dhurath Sayli Sablaram said.

The SUV driver survived and fled the spot of accident. Another adult travelling in the vehicle also survived. The vehicle was returning from Chikni village under the jurisdiction of Kursakanta police station in the district, carrying members of a baraat (marriage party) to their native place at Doriyari village under the jurisdiction of Baunsi police station.

"The incident happened around 6am. A child near Sukhsena village ran across the road to pick a mango that had fallen off the tree by the other flank," said Tarabari station house officer (SHO) Prashant Kumar.

"The speeding SUV swerved to save the kid but hit the same mango tree and then tumbled down into the water-filled ditch, which was around 10ft deep."

It had been raining for the past few days in Araria, which had led to accumulation of water in the ditch. District magistrate Prashant Kumar and sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) K.D. Singh rushed to the spot after learning about the accident. Earth-movers were engaged to pull out the SUV from the ditch. Bodies were later sent for post-mortem.

Three persons, including a child, died and three others were left seriously injured on National Highway 22 near Goria village under the jurisdiction of Bhagwanpur police station in Vaishali district when a speeding truck rammed into the car in which they were travelling on Tuesday morning. "The people in the car were returning from a marriage ceremony to their home at Bithauli in the Police Station area. The truck that hit their vehicle fled the spot," Bhagwanpur SHO Ajay Kumar said.

The deceased in the Bhagwanpur incident has been identified as one Vaibhav Kumar (6), his father Pintu Kumar Singh (30) and grandfather (52) Uday Prasad Singh. The injured have been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital for better treatment.