13 Killed, 40 Injured as Truck Runs Over Devotees Near Temple in MP’s Gwalior

Gwalior: Thirteen people were killed and about 40 others injured in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, when a paddy-laden truck lost control and ploughed into devotees waiting near the Sheetla Mata temple in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred around 1.30 am on the Sheetlamata Mandir road. Gwalior Superintendent of Police told PTI that the out-of-control truck struck devotees waiting on the roadside, standing and sitting near the shrine, and came to a halt after hitting the temple wall. Senior Superintendent of Police Dharmveer Singh said the truck, travelling from Chhinor, lost control on a steep slope where heavy vehicles are not permitted. It broke through police barricades, ran over shops and pilgrims, and crashed into the temple’s gate and outer wall. Authorities later confirmed one more death, taking the toll to 13, after earlier reports said 12.

Around 40 people were hurt, and the condition of four to five, or as many as six according to some reports, was critical. Two police personnel on duty at the spot were among the injured. Most of the injured were taken to hospital, where some of the dead were declared.

An eyewitness told, who said his brother was among the injured, told ANI that the truck appeared overloaded and suddenly lost control, crushing people beneath its wheels. That account has not been independently confirmed.

Rescue operations were carried out under the supervision of senior officials. The full cause of the loss of control is still being investigated.