Barmer (Rajasthan), Sep 21: Three people, including a minor, were killed after Arjun awardee rally driver Gaurav Gill's car hit a motorcycle during a National Rally Championship race here on Saturday.

Gill, who became the first motorsport driver to be conferred the Arjuna award earlier this year, has sustained injuries in his ribs and is also facing respiratory problems due to the crash during the Maxperience Rally, Round 3 of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship (INRC).

He has been kept under observation but is learnt to be out of danger.

The deceased Narendra, his wife Pushpa and their young son Jitendra were killed on the spot. The Rally has been called off due to the incident.

"Gaurav's was the first car on Stage 1. He was driving at a speed of 145kmph while taking a sharp left turn and within 5m-10m, collided with the motorcycle, which was right on the middle of the road," Vamsi Merla, promoter of INRC, told PTI on Saturday.

"Gaurav tried his best to pull the brakes but because of the speed, but he was unable to do anything," he added.

The NRC promoter alleged that despite repeated warnings highlighting the closure of the road during competition, the villagers broke the barricades put in place.

"We had been giving warning about the road closure to the villagers for the past 15 days. There were field marshals but one of the deceased (Narendra) argued with them and when the marshals were looking away, the man broke the barricade and entered the track," he said.

"It was an unfortunate incident that took place despite all the safety measures being in place," J Prithiviraj, president of FMSCI said.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. The entire motorsports fraternity stands with them in their grief," he added.

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Mandya (PTI): Three members of a family, two of them women, were killed when the car they were travelling in overturned and fell into a ditch on Sunday, police said.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a bridge on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway at Nagamangala in Mandya district, police added.

The deceased were identified as Chandregowda (62) and Sarojamma (57), both residents of Chikkamagaluru. They were returning to their hometown when the accident occurred, police sources said.

In another incident near Agaralinganna Doddi in Maddur taluk, a private bus overturned on a service road, injuring more than 30 people. Locals helped rescue the passengers after the accident.

The passengers were travelling to Bengaluru after visiting the Shimsha Maramma temple in Malavalli. The injured were taken to hospitals in Mandya and Maddur for treatment.