Four people were killed while 16 were injured following two separate accidents in Maho and Kekirawa this morning, police said.

They said a man and a woman were killed in a van and prison bus head-on collision in Maho this morning.

The van had crashed onto the prison bus which was travelling from Anuradhapura to Wariyapola. 

The injured in the van were admitted to the Kurunegala hospital. 

The Maho police are conducting further investigations.

The driver of the prison bus was taken into police custody and two inmates in the bus were transferred to the Wariyapola prison by means of another prison bus, Police said. 

Meanwhile, another two people aged 58 and 46 were killed following a van and lorry head-on collision in Madatugama on the Kekirawa-Dambulla main road this morning.

The van collided with the lorry while attempting to overtake a motorcycle, they said.

Twelve passengers in the van were admitted to the Dambulla hospital. The deceased were identified as residents of Galkiriyagama.

Kekirwa police are conducting investigations. (By Sajeewa Kottagoda and Kanchana Kumara Aiyadasa)