The Gwalior truck crash near Sheetla Mata Temple in Madhya Pradesh killed at least 14 devotees and injured 29 others after a paddy-laden truck broke through police barricades and ran over pilgrims gathered on the road, according to officials quoted by the Times of India. Two police personnel deployed at the site were also injured.
The accident occurred at about 1.30 am when the truck was travelling from the Chhinor side towards the temple, Gwalior Senior Superintendent of Police Dharmveer Singh said. The road has a steep slope and heavy vehicles are restricted on that stretch, he said. The truck had been stopped near the barricades but allegedly broke through them, lost control and hurtled downhill towards the temple.
The vehicle struck devotees travelling in large numbers to Sheetla Mata Temple before crashing into the temple’s outer wall and gate. Several pilgrims were caught beneath the truck, Singh said. The impact damaged the entrance structure, while the injured were taken for treatment.
Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan said authorities received information about the crash at around 1.30 am and immediately dispatched ambulances and other vehicles for rescue and relief operations. She said 29 people had sustained injuries of varying severity. The injured included the two police personnel who were on duty at the spot, according to the SSP, and their treatment was continuing.
Relatives of the victims have questioned both the emergency response and the communication provided by authorities. The mother of a victim identified as Divyansh said she learnt about the incident early Sunday morning and struggled to locate her family members. She said her daughter was trying to find relatives but was not allowed to do so by police.
Another family member questioned why an injured victim was allegedly taken to hospital hours after the accident. The relative said the family had initially been told that the child was receiving treatment and was not informed that the child had died. These accounts were presented as family allegations in the report and were not accompanied by a separate official explanation in the supplied material.
The crash has placed attention on the management of heavy vehicles and pedestrian movement on the approach road to a major place of worship. The SSP said the road from Chhinor has a steep gradient and restrictions on heavy traffic, while the truck’s alleged breach of the police checkpoint remains central to the official account of how the vehicle reached the pilgrims. The supplied report did not state whether any arrest, formal inquiry or additional traffic-control measures had been announced.
The immediate official response has focused on rescue operations, treatment of the injured and assessment of the accident site. Further details on the investigation, accountability for the barricade breach and the condition of those hospitalised were not provided in the material available for this report.
