Gwalior, 18 October (H.S.): Fourteen people were killed when an out-of-control truck rammed into devotees near the Sheetla Mata temple in Gwalior around 1.30 am on Sunday. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav announced compensation of ₹4 lakh each for the families of the deceased, ₹2 lakh each for the seriously injured and ₹50,000 each for other injured persons. The state government has also directed that all the injured receive free treatment.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed grief over the deaths and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He said he was in constant contact with the Madhya Pradesh government and the district's minister-in-charge to monitor the situation and ensure assistance to those affected.

In a message on social media, Scindia described the accident as deeply painful and said his thoughts were with the families who had lost their loved ones. He also prayed for strength for the bereaved families and a speedy recovery for the injured.

The accident occurred near the slope on Chinaur Road when a truck carrying a heavy load came down towards the temple. A large number of devotees had gathered for darshan on the occasion of Saptami, and shops selling prasad and puja materials were operating in the area. The truck reportedly broke through police barricades, hit shops and devotees, and finally crashed into the wall at the temple's main entrance. The impact brought down part of the wall, trapping people beneath the vehicle and debris.

Local residents, police and administration officials launched rescue operations and shifted the injured to hospitals. The deceased included children, teenagers, women and elderly people. The affected families are reported to be from Gwalior, Shivpuri and Sheopur.

Chief Minister Yadav expressed sorrow over the deaths and said the state government stood with the affected families. He directed ministers Aidal Singh Kansana and Rakesh Shukla to reach Gwalior, assess the situation and ensure that the families received the necessary assistance.

Questions have been raised over traffic control and safety arrangements near the temple. Superintendent of Police Dharmveer Singh Yadav said arrangements had been made to prevent heavy vehicles from entering the route amid the large gathering of devotees. However, the truck broke through the barricades and reached the temple entrance. Two police personnel and a Home Guard jawan on duty were also injured.

Collector Ruchika Chauhan said the truck had descended the slope towards the temple out of control and that broken barricades were found at the spot. The cause of the accident and possible lapses in the security arrangements are under investigation.

Hindusthan Samachar / Mayank Chaturvedi