Eight people, including three children, were killed as a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (Demu) train smashed a human-hauler at Haydarabad level-crossing in the city on Thursday afternoon.

The deceased could not be identified immediately.

Railway police said the Dhaka-bound Demu train hit the human-hauler around 2:30pm as it tried to cross the rail line since there was no signalman at the level-crossing, leaving its eight passengers dead on the spot.

Three men, one woman, three children and the human-hauler driver were among the deceased.