The mangled remains of the SUV at Bhawanipatna. Telegraph picture

Balangir, Feb. 20: Eight persons, including three children, died when an SUV rammed into a roadside tree near Sagada village on NH-26 within the limits of Bhawanipatna Sadar police here late last night.

Two persons were seriously injured in the accident, which took place when the 11 persons in the SUV were returning to their village Dhanpur after attending a wedding at Chahgaon of Kalampur block.

While seven persons died on the spot, one died at district headquarters hospital in Bhawanipatna.

The driver of the ill-fated vehicle also died.

The police have seized the SUV and recovered the bodies from the spot.

The two injured have been admitted to district headquarters hospital and their condition is stated to be critical. All the victims hailed from Dhanpur village and were relatives, said inspector in charge of Kalahandi Sadar police station Narasingha Barik.

The driver lost control of the vehicle while taking a sharp turn and crashed into a roadside tree. The van overturned and fell into a ditch by the highway.

Barik said: “The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. After post-mortem, the bodies will be handed over to their family members. We have registered a case of unnatural death.”

However, a 10-year-old boy, who was in the vehicle, had a miraculous escape as he came out almost unhurt.