Car ploughs through crowd and kills 3 in Assam (Representational image)

Three women, including a mother-daughter duo, were killed and several people were injured on early Saturday morning after a speeding car ploughed into the pedestrians in Assam's Tinsukia district.

The accident occurred at around 5.30 am when a large group of people, consisting mostly of women, were walking along a road to participate in the early morning Mahalaya festivities held at a Durgabari hall (Durga temple hall).

The police said, "A speeding car coming from Borguri side towards Thana Chariali knocked down pedestrians, leaving three persons dead and eight injured."

"One of the victims Numali Baruah (47) died on the spot, while Ritamoni Gohain (45) and her daughter Priya (21) died at the Tinsukia civil hospital. Priya was a student of the first semester at Tinsukia Women's College," the police said.

The injured people have been identified as Ditimoni Gohain, Sangita Devi, Palla Kumari, Lakshmi Saha, Prasenjit Majumdar, Abhinash Gohain and Basanta Changmai.

All the injured have been admitted to the Assam Medical College and Hospital, out of which are critical.

According to sources, the car driver -- Gaurav Dey -- had hit a bike and was trying to flee the spot, when he hit people near the Druga temple.

He had also knocked down a traffic constable also, when the latter was trying to stop him after the first incident.

After the second incident he again tried to speed away, but was stopped by passerbys.

The angry public thrashed the driver and the police had to rescue him. He had to be admitted to the hospital, sources said.

"The police have seized the vehicle. We are recording statements of the injured persons and eyewitnesses. The driver of the car will be arrested. He has been admitted to hospital as he was thrashed by the crowd. A case has been registered and action will be taken as per the law," senior police officer of Tinsukia Shiladitya Chetia said.