However, police stated that an operation has been initiated to arrest the bus conductor who fled the scene after the fatal accident.
The ill-fated Colombo bound private bus from Vavuniya veered off the road and crashed against an Electric Transformer as the driver failed to control the speed of the vehicle early this morning.
The residents and police managed to hospitalize 19 injured passengers immediately after the accident.
However, the rescue workers took nearly three hours to save three passengers as they were squeezed among the debris.
The three passengers were pronounced dead when they were removed from the debris.
Two of the deceased were identified as residents from Gangewadiya in Vanathawilluva, Eluwankulama and from Mundalama in Mangala Eliya.