Hyderabad: At least 13 people, including seven women, were killed and five more injured when a three-wheeler in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding truck in Mahabubnagar district on Sunday evening.

The incident happened near Kottapalli village in Midjil mandal of the district when the truck rammed into the over-crowded three-wheeler vehicle coming from the opposite direction, a senior police official said.

The impact of the accident was so severe that 12 of the occupants of the auto-rickshaw died on the spot, he added.

Another person succumbed to injuries while being transported to a hospital, the official said.

The deceased were farm labourers, who were returning home in Kottapalli village, Mahabubnagar district Superintendent of Police (SP) Rema Rajeshwari told PTI over phone.

A total of 18 people 17 farm labourers and the driver were travelling in the three-wheeler when the accident occurred, the SP said.

"It was a head-on collision... The lorry driver has been taken into custody," she said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has expressed shock over the accident.

Rao conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to the family members and instructed the officials concerned to offer the best medical facilities to the injured, an official release said.

Meanwhile, a group of people, including the family members and relatives of the deceased, held a protest demanding justice for those killed in the accident.

When police were shifting the bodies of the deceased for post-mortem, the protesters initially blocked the road, alleging that the ambulance arrived late and raised slogans demanding the government to immediately declare a compensation.

The SP intervened and convinced them to withdraw the demonstration.

Also Read: AP Reels Under Floods,17,632 Shifted To Relief Camps

Also Read: Second Flood Warning Signal Issued