Gwalior accident: 14 devotees crushed to death after truck ploughs into temple wall; PM Modi announces ex-gratia for kin
According to preliminary information, the truck had been stopped on the road but broke through the barricades, lost control and rolled down the slope before crashing into the temple’s outer wall and gate.
PTC News Desk: At least 15 people were killed and 33 others injured after a truck carrying paddy broke through police barricades and hit devotees travelling to the Sheetla Mata temple in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, early Sunday.
The accident took place around 1:30 am on Chhinor Road, where heavy vehicles are restricted because of a steep slope.
According to preliminary information, the truck had been stopped on the road but broke through the barricades, lost control and rolled down the slope before crashing into the temple’s outer wall and gate. Several devotees walking along the road were crushed under the vehicle.
A senior police official said all the injured were taken to hospitals. Of them, 15 people died. Five to six injured people are in critical condition and have suffered fractures, while others sustained minor injuries and are receiving treatment. Two police personnel deployed at the site were also injured.
What the police and administration said
Senior police official Dharmveer Singh described the incident as tragic. Speaking to news agency ANI, he said many pilgrims were travelling to the Sheetla Mata temple when the truck lost control and ran into devotees walking along the road, causing multiple casualties.
He added that all the injured, including the two police personnel, were receiving medical treatment. Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan said the administration received information about the accident at around 1:30 am and immediately took steps to respond.
She said an investigation would be conducted to determine how the truck entered the restricted stretch despite the presence of barricades and a police checkpoint installed for Navratri.
The administration has also sent a Regional Transport Office (RTO) team to inspect the truck and determine why it veered to the left. Chauhan added that doctors were conducting CT scans and X-rays on the injured to assess their condition and provide appropriate treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief over the deaths of 14 people after a truck crashed into devotees waiting near a temple in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior and announced ex gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. Nearly 40 people were injured in the accident, which took place early Sunday. PM Modi announced financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for each injured person from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).