Chandigarh, Mar 11 (IANS): A police vehicle carrying prisoners was ambushed by unidentified assailants in Haryana's Jhajjar district Saturday evening, leaving three prisoners dead and two policemen injured, police here said.

The attack on the police vehicle took place near Duleena village in Jhajjar, over 350 km from Chandigarh.

The three prisoners who died in attack were identified as Anil, Sribhagwan and Dilbagh. Out of these, Sribhagwan and Dilbagh were brothers and were under arrest for their alleged involvement in a murder.

Two policemen, Vinod Kumar and Vikas, were injured in the firing. They were rushed to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak for treatment.

Police officials said that the attack could be an outcome of gang rivalry. They said that the attack took place in a Bollywood film style.

Police said the prisoners, who had been brought from Bhondsi prison near Gurgaon to Rohtak for a court hearing Saturday, were being taken back when the attack took place.

"The police van was first hit by a truck. As the vehicle stopped, 3-4 other vehicles came from behind and armed assailants opened fire on the van carrying the prisoners and police personnel. Despite the sudden attack, the police party in the van returned the fire," a police official in Jhajjar district said.

The assailants escaped after the incident.

No senior official of the Haryana police was available for comment.