At least five persons died and nine others were injured when a passenger van and pickup truck collided head-on at Birendra Bazar of Dhanusha district along the East-West Highway on early Saturday morning.

According to District Police Office, Dhanusha, the vehicles collided head-on at around 5am causing the fatalities.

Deepak Raya, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Dhanusha District Police Office, said a 12-year-old boy died on the spot while others succumbed to injury while undergoing treatment.

The deceased are a 29-year-old woman from Mukhiyapatti Musharniya Rural Municipality of Dhanusha, a 17-year-old woman and her 13-year-old sister from Ramgopalpur Municipality of Mahottarai and a 25-year-old man from Dhanauji Rural Municipality of Dhanusha.

Identification of one of the deceased is yet to be ascertained, said DSP Raya.

Basanta Rajaure, Superintendent of Police, said the van carrying wedding attendants was heading to Pipara of Mahottari from Itahari.