A speeding dumper truck crushed three motorcyclists to death in Lahore’s Defence Phase C area after losing control while taking a U-turn, police said.

According to rescue officials, the garbage-loaded truck first hit the motorcycle and then overturned, killing all three riders on the spot.

The victims were identified as Shah Mohammad, Nasir, and Muhammad Hafeez, all residents of Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur.

Police said Shah Mohammad worked as a driver in a house in Defence, while Nasir and Hafeez had travelled to Lahore earlier to purchase a vehicle.

One of the victims was reportedly a law student, while another was engaged to be married in January, family sources said.

The truck driver managed to flee the scene after the accident.

Police shifted the bodies to the morgue for post-mortem examination and launched an investigation to trace the driver.

This is the third fatal dumper accident in Lahore this year, leaving at least eight people dead, including two incidents involving garbage-loaded vehicles.

Official figures show that 36 people have lost their lives in various road accidents across Lahore last month alone.