MANSEHRA: Three people were killed when a van plunged into the Indus in Puttan area of Kohistan on Wednesday.

The van was on its way to Mansehra from Chalas area on the Karakoram Highway when the driver while negotiating a sharp turn lost control over the steering, as a result of which it plunged into the river.

Local people and police rushed to the scene and fished out the bodies after efforts of many hours and shifted them to civil hospital, Puttan.

Two of the victims were identified as policeman Sardar Ali, resident of Swabi district, and Barkatullah of Chalas area, while identity of the driver was yet to be ascertained as his face was mutilated and identity documents fell from his pockets into the water.

Puttan police, after registering FIR, started further investigations into the incident.

In another incident, a man was killed over a petty dispute. According to police, Ishtiaq Khan and Nasir Qudus exchanged harsh words after the latter blocked way of the car of former in Channia area of the Mansehra city.

Though people present on the occasion pacified them and put them away, later Ishtiaq went to the residence of Qudus and shot him dead outside his house.

The body was handed over to the victim`s family after the autopsy at the King Abdullah Teaching hospital. City police lodged FIR, and were conducting raids to arrest the accused.