Siddharthnagar, Oct 19 (IANS): Three people including a cyclist were killed and more than two dozen sustained injuries after a bus fell into a drain while trying to avoid hitting the cyclist in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district on Friday evening.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Prachi Singh said that the police received information at around 6.30 p.m. that a bus on its way to Siddharthnagar from Balrampur fell into the Chargahwa drain under the Dhebaruwa police station area.

She said that a police team rushed to the spot and with the help of locals, rescued the passengers trapped in the bus. There were 53 people on the bus at the time of the accident.

Singh said that three people including a teenager died in the accident.

She said that the accident occurred after the driver lost control of the bus while trying to save a cyclist. The SP said that the deceased have been identified as cyclist Mangani Ram (50), and bus passengers Ajay Verma (14) and Gamma (65).

According to police, more than two dozen people have been injured in the accident and are receiving treatment at CSC Barhdni and district hospital Siddharthnagar.

In a separate incident, more than 20 people were injured in a road accident in Baghrai area of ??Pratapgarh district on Friday evening.