Two women and a 16-year-old girl were swept away by strong currents while crossing Madin river in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, police said on Monday.
The incident happened on Sunday evening near Bedma village in Dhanora police station limits, Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg said.
Nine people from Jhara village were crossing the river when strong currents accompanied by a sudden water rise swept away Somari (44), Pankobai (43) and Urmila (16), Garg said.
The others managed to swim to the riverbank. The Home Guards, the State Disaster Management Force (SDRF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and police took out two of the bodies from the river while a search is on for the third, he added.