At least 15 persons were killed and 17 others injured when a speeding bus ploughed through a group of people watching a roadside cultural show at a village in Bihar's Sitamarhi district.

The tragedy occurred at Chandaspur village in Bathnaha block of the district late Wednesday night when a bus on way from Sursand to Sitamarhi crushed underneath it the victims watching the roadside show, killing 12 persons on the spot, police said on Thursday.

Three others succumbed to injuries on way to Srikrishna Medical College Hospital at Muzaffarpur, police said.

Altogether 17 persons were admitted to various hospitals in Sitamarhi and adjoining Muzaffarpur districts, they said, adding that condition of some of them was reported serious.