Tura, Feb 6: Rash driving has taken a massive toll on human life with three persons, including a girl child, losing their precious lives when the Mahindra pik up mini truck they were travelling in with 20 other passengers lost control and plunged down into empty fields in South West Garo Hills district on Sunday noon.

According to police from the district, a large group of villagers from Angalgre village under Betasing area of the district were proceeding to Wadagre village for a Mahari (clan) meeting when the driver lost control of his speeding Mahindra Pik Up vehicle ML08 G 9304 at Jelbongpara village.

The vehicle is said to have plunged and rolled over throwing passengers who were standing and travelling in the back of the truck out into the field while others were crushed.

A 35 year old woman and a 3 year old girl child were killed on the spot and 20 other passengers sustained injuries, several of them critical.

Nine of the seriously injured passengers were rushed to Tura civil hospital but one of them, a 50 year old man, died at the hospital itself.

The driver, who stands accused of over speeding and overloading his vehicle with as many as 22 passengers has also been admitted to the hospital with injuries.

Police have registered a criminal case for rash driving and overloading that has endangered the lives of innocent travellers.