Bhopal: At least 13 devotees were killed and 26 others injured after a truck loaded with paddy lost control and ploughed into pilgrims near the Sheetla Mata temple in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, at around 1.30 am on Sunday. The vehicle reportedly broke through police barricades before running over people and crashing into the temple’s outer wall and gate.

According to senior police official Dharmveer Singh, the accident occurred on Chhinor road, a stretch with a steep slope where heavy vehicles are restricted. The truck had reportedly been stopped near the barricades before breaking through and losing control.

A total of 39 people were taken to hospital following the accident. Police officials said 13 had died, while five to six injured people were in critical condition with fractures. The remaining injured were receiving treatment for less severe injuries. Two police personnel deployed at the scene were also injured.

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Police and administration launch investigation

Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan said ambulances and other emergency vehicles were dispatched after the administration received information about the accident at around 1.30 am.

She said barricades and a police checkpoint had been installed on the road during Navratri to regulate vehicle movement. Authorities are investigating how the truck entered the restricted stretch despite these measures.

A Regional Transport Office (RTO) team has been sent to inspect the vehicle mechanically and determine whether a technical fault contributed to the accident. Doctors are conducting CT scans and X-rays on the injured to assess their conditions and guide their treatment.

An eyewitness told ANI that the truck appeared to be overloaded and suddenly entered the area, running over people and damaging shops. The witness said some people died at the scene and that his brother was among those injured.

The exact circumstances surrounding the truck’s breach of the barricades and subsequent loss of control remain unclear. The investigation is expected to establish how the vehicle entered the restricted road and what caused the crash.