At least four people were killed and one seriously injured in a road mishap in the northern Indian state of Punjab Saturday, a senior police official said.

"The mishap happened when the car in which the victims were travelling collided head-on with a private passenger bus coming from the opposite direction near Ghunas village in the state's Barnala district," he said on condition of anonymity.

While four persons were killed on the spot, the one injured has been admitted to a local hospital where his condition is said to be critical, the official said.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, he said, adding that they have seized the bus and launched a manhunt to nab its driver who has been absconding since the accident.

"The driver will soon be arrested," he said.

More than 130,000 people die in road accidents in India every year, according to official figures. And road roads and drunk driving are to be largely blamed for the accidents.

source: Xinhua