Truck plows into devotees near temple in Madhya Pradesh, killing 12
The truck lost control and was badly damaged. Photo: Reuters
At least 12 people were killed and many others injured after a truck that lost control plowed into devotees near a temple in Madhya Pradesh, India. Five to six of the injured are in critical condition.
The accident occurred late Saturday night near the Sheetla Mata Temple in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The truck loaded with paddy broke through police barricades and ran over devotees. It then crashed into the temple gate and outer wall.
Gwalior Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dharmveer Singh said the accident occurred at around 1:30 am. The truck was coming from the direction of Chinor. Heavy vehicles are prohibited on the road because of its steep slope.
Dharmveer Singh said, “Many devotees were going to the Sheetla Mata Temple. The road coming from the direction of Chinor has a steep slope and heavy vehicles are prohibited there. A truck loaded with paddy had been stopped there at around 1:30 am. It suddenly broke through the police barricades and lost control as it came down.”
He further said the truck ran over devotees on the road and crashed into the temple's outer wall and gate. Two police officers on duty at the scene were also injured. They are receiving treatment.
The SSP said a total of 39 people were taken to the hospital after the accident. Of them, 12 died. Five to six people sustained critical injuries and suffered fractures in different parts of their bodies. The remaining victims sustained comparatively minor injuries.
Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan said rescue operations began immediately after ambulances and other vehicles were dispatched upon receiving news of the accident. She initially reported 11 deaths and around 29 injuries.
Police had set up a checkpoint and measures to stop vehicles on the road for Navratri. An investigation is underway to determine how the truck reached the area despite the barricades.
Ruchika said, “There was a road stopper and a police checkpoint on the road. How the vehicle entered despite these measures is a matter of investigation.”
A team from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has been sent to examine the truck and determine whether it had any mechanical faults. The injured are receiving treatment after undergoing CT scans and X-rays.
An eyewitness at the scene claimed that the truck was overloaded. His brother was also injured in the accident. He said, “The truck suddenly came along and lost control, running into several shops and people. I saw several people die at the scene.”
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
Source: NDTV
