13 dead after truck mows down devotees, crashes into temple gate in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior

Thirteen people died, and nearly 40 were injured after a truck ran over devotees near Shitala Mata Temple in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh before crashing into the entrance gate of the temple late on Saturday. The force of the impact was so high that it sent a section of the gateway wall crashing down, trapping several people under the debris, according to Police.

Gwalior superintendent of police (SP) Dharamveer Yadav said a preliminary investigation indicated a mechanical failure that caused the driver to lose control. During the incident, five devotees reportedly suffered serious injuries and were rushed to different hospitals in Gwalior. All those who died are from Gwalior and neighbouring districts.

"On the occasion of Saptami, a large crowd from Gwalior and surrounding districts had gathered at the temple late on (Saturday) night. In view of the crowd, entry of heavy vehicles was restricted," Yadav said. "Around 1.30 am, a truck laden with paddy coming from the Chinor side was stopped by police at the barricade, but the driver lost control on the slope and ploughed into roadside stalls and devotees," he said.

"According to the information received so far, a total of 39 people have been taken to the hospital, out of which 12 people have died. 5 or 6 patients are critically injured with fractures, while the rest sustained minor injuries and are currently receiving treatment," he said earlier in the morning.

41 people nearly injured

After ploughing through devotees and stalls, the truck smashed past the barricades and slammed into the entrance gate. Police said the crash damaged five to six prasad stalls and left nearly 41 people injured. Rescue teams and police arrived swiftly at the scene, working to free those trapped beneath the collapsed wall.

Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan also explained the incident, saying that after receiving the information, ambulances and other vehicles were sent for the relief operation. She also confirmed that 29 people have sustained serious injuries.

"Today, at around 1.30 AM, information was received that a truck coming from the direction of Chhinor towards the temple lost control and veered continuously to the left. Immediately, news of the accident started coming in, and ambulances and other vehicles were dispatched. 11 people have lost their lives in this incident, and 5 to 6 patients are critically injured. Around 29 people have sustained various injuries," she said. Chauhan added that officials had launched a probe into the incident, examining how the truck managed to pass through the barricades and a police checkpoint along the road during Navratri.