Four people, including a 28-year-old woman and her eight-month-old son, were killed late on Tuesday night when a speeding truck collided with an auto-rickshaw on National Highway 722 near Pahadpur village, under the Garkha police station limits in Bihar's Saran district, according to IANS reporting of the police response.

The impact completely mangled the auto-rickshaw and trapped passengers inside. Local residents rushed to help and alerted the authorities, and teams from Garkha police station and a Dial 112 emergency unit reached the spot. Rescue personnel used gas cutters to cut through the metal frame and free the trapped passengers.

The victims were rushed to hospital, where four were pronounced dead. The deceased were identified as Annu Kumari (28) and her eight-month-old son, and cousins Ashish Kumar, alias Jeetu (25), and Aman Kumar (20). Annu Kumari's husband, Vishal Kumar, suffered critical injuries and remains in intensive care. The auto-rickshaw driver and his brother were also injured in the collision.

A relative, Rahul Kumar, said the family was returning home from Punjab after attending a wedding ceremony when the truck struck their vehicle.

Police have launched an investigation to trace the truck driver and establish the exact sequence of events leading to the crash. The driver had not been apprehended in the latest reports.