The mishap took place this morning near Rajarao Pathaar area under Gurur police station limits of Balod district on the highway, Balod Superintendent of Police D L Manhar said.
As many as 10 youths of Korar village in Kanker district were returning home in their SUV after visiting Goddess Maihar Devi temple in Madhya Pradesh while the bus was on its way to Raipur from Bastar, he said.
Prima facie it appears that both the vehicles were on high speed on the single lane road and collided head-on after both the drivers lost control over their vehicles, he said.
"Eight passengers of the bus and four other occupants of the SUV sustained injuries and were admitted in hospitals of Dhamtari and Charama," Manhar said.
Three of the deceased were identified as Kamlesh Sahu, Toman Sahu and Ravish Sahu, aged between 20 to 30 years, he said, adding that identity of other victims was yet to be ascertained.
The bus driver fled from the spot soon after the accident and efforts were on to nab him, he said.