Patna, Dec 22 (IANS): Mistaking an ambulance's siren for police chasing them, two liquor smugglers jumped in the Dharmawati river in Bihar's Rohtas district on Wednesday morning and died, police said.

One of the accused died on the spot while another succumbed in a hospital in Varanasi.

The two smugglers, having come from UP's Chandauli district, were travelling on a bike on the Sasaram-Chausa road. When they reached Mahant Bhagiratha village, an ambulance was coming from behind.

"The bikers thought that it was a police van and they sped up. As the ambulance was travelling at a very high speed and had the siren on, they panicked and jumped into the Dharmawati river after reaching the bridge," said an officer of Kochas police station.

One of the bikers died on the spot while another was rescued and taken to the hospital in Varanasi for treatment. He also succumbed due to the injuries. In a dying statement, the victim revealed that they were transporting liquor bottles and panicked after hearing the siren and thought it was of a police vehicle.

He also said that as there was low visibility due to fog, they could not make out whether the vehicle coming from behind was an ambulance or police van.