Christmas frenzy turned into tragedy as three persons from the steel city were killed as the SUV they were travelling in was hit by a speeding truck at Janchua on NH-33 under Namkum police station area near Ranchi on the wee hours of Friday.

The three victims were identified as Sandeep Singh alias Tinku (30), Gandhi Mallik (26) and Ravi Shankar Verma (27), all residents of Ulidih in Mango.

Sources informed that the three had left for Ranchi at 9 pm on Thursday by travelling in an SUV and as the vehicle was about to enter the State capital, a speeding truck which was coming at a high speed form opposite direction hit the four-wheelers, causing the three to die on the spot.The driver of the truck fled the scene of mishap leaving the vehicle abandoned.

Officer-in-charge, Namkum police station Anil Kumar confirmed about the fatal mishap at Janchua in Namkum in the wee hours on Friday.