STOCKHOLM: Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who lived under police protection after sacrilegious caricatures in 2007 by himprompted death threats, died Sunday in a car accident.

The 75-year-old and two police officers were killed in a collision with an oncoming truck, Swedish police confirmed to AFP.

"This is being investigated like any other road accident. Because two policemen were involved, an investigation has been assigned to a special section of the prosecutor's office," a police spokesperson told AFP, adding that there was no suspicion of foul play.

The accident occurred near the small town Markaryd when the car Vilks was travelling in crashed into an oncoming truck.