Gwalior Temple Accident: Police Officer Removed, Eight Personnel Suspended After Truck Kills 15 Devotees
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered the removal of a City Superintendent of Police (CSP) from his post and the suspension of eight other police personnel following a truck accident near Sheetla Mata Temple in Gwalior that killed 15 people and injured 27 others.
The action was taken over alleged negligence in security arrangements during the incident. Yadav also directed officials to conduct a detailed investigation to establish responsibility and ensure strict action against those found guilty.
In a post on X, the chief minister said public safety was the government’s priority and warned that negligence in protecting citizens would not be tolerated.
Truck Ploughs Into Devotees Near Temple Gate
The accident occurred at around 1.30 am on Sunday, when a truck carrying paddy from the Chinor side lost control on a slope near the temple.
According to police, the vehicle had been stopped at a barricade before the driver allegedly lost control and drove into roadside stalls and devotees gathered for the Saptami festivities. The truck subsequently broke through the barricades and crashed into the temple’s entrance gate.
The impact brought down part of the gateway wall, trapping several people beneath the debris. Police and rescue teams rushed to the scene and pulled out those trapped under the collapsed structure.
Authorities said five to six prasad stalls were damaged in the incident, while nearly 41 people were reportedly struck by the truck.
Mechanical Failure Suspected
Preliminary findings suggest that a mechanical failure may have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, Gwalior Superintendent of Police Dharamveer Yadav said.
The accident took place as a large number of devotees from Gwalior and neighbouring districts had gathered at the temple for Saptami. Police said the movement of heavy vehicles had been restricted in view of the crowd.
Truck owner Mohit Singh and driver Dilbag Singh have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Nine Police Personnel Face Action
After the incident, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed the removal of the CSP from his post and suspension of three station house officers, one traffic inspector, one head constable and three constables.
The investigation will review the conditions at the time of the accident and seek answers to any questions of traffic management or security failure that may have been involved in the tragedy.
The government will look into strengthening security to prevent such incidents in future, Yadav said.
Compensation Announced for Victims
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced financial assistance of ₹4 lakh for the families of each deceased victim, ₹2 lakh for each seriously injured person and ₹50,000 for other injured victims.
The chief minister also said that all injured people would receive free medical treatment. The affected families are from Gwalior, Shivpuri and Sheopur.
Expressing grief over the deaths, Yadav said the state government stood with the affected families during the difficult period.
Ex-Gratia Assistance announced by the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister’s Office too extended condolences on the loss of lives in the accident.
The PMO on its social media platform, X, announced on a post an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of every individual who has lost their life. The injured person will get ₹50,000 for each of them.
An investigation of the accident will investigate what happened and whether there is any further action that needs to be taken against any parties responsible.