A nurse was killed and the chief medical and health officer of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh was seriously injured after their car fell into a culvert, police said on Monday.

CMHO Pradeep Dhakad was driving the car and lost control of it late Sunday night while trying to avoid a truck coming from the opposite direction, Kotwali police station official Sanjay Pandre said.

"The incident took place at around 11:30pm. The car fell into a 10-foot deep culvert, leaving Dhakad and the staff nurse Sushmita (30) grievously injured. Both were rushed to the district hospital where the nurse succumbed to injuries," he added.