Ranchi, Dec 22 : At least three people were killed in two separate road accidents in Jharkhand on Monday, officials said.

Both incidents caused major traffic disruptions, with one leading to prolonged traffic jams in the Palamu district.

The first mishap occurred in the Hussainabad police station area of Palamu district on Monday morning. A school bus collided head-on with a motorcycle near Gamharia village on the Japla-Chhatarpur main road, killing the rider instantly.

The deceased was identified as Dharmendra Yadav (26), son of Yamuna Yadav, a resident of Chapardag (Sikni) village.

According to police, Dharmendra was returning home from Japla when the bus, carrying schoolchildren, rammed into his motorcycle.

Despite wearing a helmet, the impact was severe, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Hussainabad Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Following the accident, angry villagers blocked the Japla-Chhatarpur road near Gamharia for several hours, demanding action against the bus driver.

The blockade caused heavy traffic congestion on the route. Hussainabad police station in charge, Sonu Chaudhary, reached the spot with a team and persuaded the protesters to lift the blockade.

The second fatal accident took place in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district later in the day. A Swift Dzire car collided head-on with a truck near Bada Thalko village on the Seraikela-Chaibasa road.

Eyewitnesses said that the truck was coming from Chaibasa while the car was heading towards Seraikela when the collision occurred.

The crash killed the car driver instantly. Another passenger succumbed to injuries en route to Chaibasa Sadar Hospital, while a third occupant sustained critical injuries.

The injured person was initially treated at Sadar Hospital and later referred to MGM Hospital, Jamshedpur, for further treatment.

/IANS