NEW DELHI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and five others injured after a speeding truck ploughed into two passenger auto-rickshaws in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred near Majhgavan in the state's Katni district, some 350 km from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal.

"The truck hit the two auto-rickshaws, carrying 13 people, one after the other as its driver lost control of the speeding vehicle. While eight people died in the impact of the crash, those injured have been admitted to a local hospital," a police official said.

The death toll may go up later in the day as the condition of two of the injured are said to be serious, he said, adding that all the victims were occupants of the two auto-rickshaws.

Eye-witnesses told police that the truck was travelling at high speed.

"A probe has been ordered into the incident and a manhunt launched to track down the truck driver who fled the spot leaving the vehicle behind. The driver has been booked for rash and negligent driving," the official said.

Road accidents occur in India mostly due to reckless driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.