New Delhi – At least three men were killed and 150 injured when they fell from a speeding train in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, media reports said Tuesday.

The accident occurred Monday when some 200 people sitting on the roof of the Sarayu Express were hit by a branch of a tree as the train passed near Sultanpur city, the CNN-IBN network reported.

The victims and the wounded, were all young men going for an army recruitment test and rode on the train’s roof as there was no space inside the coaches.

While three men died on the scene, 150 injured were taken to state-run hospitals in the area 140 kilometres south of state capital Lucknow.

Doctors told the PTI news agency 35 men sustained “serious injuries” and were being treated.

Riding atop trains is common in India. In rural areas, towns and even cities, people travel on train roofs owing to congested coaches or to avoid buying tickets. (dpa)