An Indian student was killed when a sports utility vehicle hit him and hurled him into a river in the US state of Ohio, police said.

The student of Ohio University at Athens, identified as Abhishek Singh from Faizabad, was walking on the bridge over Hocking River when the SUV jumped a red traffic light, collided with another vehicle and spun unto the sidewalk on Saturday.

It struck Singh, throwing him above the guard rail into the river.

His body was fished out by authorities some 16 hours later and an autopsy will be performed to determine whether he died from the impact or from drowning.

Police was not aware that the vehicle has stuck someone until the body was found on Sunday.

Prosecutors are considering filing charges against the driver of SUV, they added.

According to the University, he was a graduate student in the College of Arts and Science.