Patna, June 16 : At least four people were killed and 10 others were seriously injured after a pickup van overturned in Bihar's Saran district early Monday morning, officials said.

The accident occurred around 7 a.m. on Monday near Bajitpur village, within the Nayagaon police station limits. One of the vehicle's tyres burst, causing the driver to lose control.

The van, carrying around 25 passengers, was reportedly travelling at a speed of 70-80 km/h.

According to police, the group was on its way from Dighwara to Sarai in Vaishali district via Sonpur to roast corn when the mishap took place.

Sonpur Range SDPO said rescue operations were launched immediately after receiving the information.

"We recovered the bodies trapped inside the overturned vehicle. The deceased were sent for post-mortem at Sadar Hospital, Chhapra. The injured have been admitted to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Sonpur, with some in critical condition," he said.

The deceased were identified as Anju Devi (48), wife of Raj Kumar Pandit; Radhika Devi (50), wife of Raju Baith; Sonu Kumar (23), son of Sarwan Ram; and Rajlakshmi Kumari (15), daughter of Panchuram -- all residents of Dighwara in Saran district.

The accident triggered chaos at the site, with local residents joining police in relief and rescue efforts.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over overloading and the poor maintenance of vehicles used for the transport of both goods and passengers, as well as the continued flouting of road safety norms.

The police said the pickup van has been seized, and an FIR will be registered against the driver under relevant sections related to rash and negligent driving.

"We will also recommend a probe by the transport department into the vehicle's fitness," the SDPO added.