Jajpur, April 12: At least three pilgrims were killed and five others injured, four of them critically, in a road mishap near Rathia village under Dharmashala police station limits along NH-5 in Jajpur district today.

The deceased have been identified as Maulana Mausim Khan (45), Maulana Iyaz (40) and Mohammad Nanka (32) of Sinapali in Sambalpur.

The incident took place during the wee hours today.

They were returning home after paying obeisance to the shrine of Hazrat Mujahid-E-Milat Alhaj Shah Md Habibur Rehman at Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district, police said.

“Their vehicle might have hit a truck from behind, whilemoving in high speed,” said Suvendu Kumar Sinha, inspector-in-charge of Dharmasala police station.