Truck crash near Gwalior temple kills at least 15; eight police personnel suspended

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the suspension of eight police personnel and the removal of the Jhansi Road city superintendent of police after a truck struck devotees near Gwalior’s Sheetla Mata Temple early on October 18. He also ordered a detailed inquiry into the crash.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured. Aaj Tak reported a death toll of 15 in its 4.55 pm IST update on October 18. In a later update at 6.07 pm IST, The Times of India put the toll at 16, citing hospital authorities. That higher figure had not been independently corroborated at the time of this report.

The collision happened around 1.30 am on Chinor Road, where devotees had gathered for the Navratri fair. The truck hit the temple entrance, and part of a wall collapsed, trapping people beneath the debris. Local residents and police helped pull victims out, The Times of India reported.

The route was restricted during the festival. The inquiry will examine how a heavy vehicle reached the shrine despite checkpoints and barricades. The chief minister’s action concerns alleged negligence; the investigation has yet to establish responsibility for the crash.

Aaj Tak reported that CSP Ravi Bhadauria’s preliminary account suggested the drivers, unfamiliar with the area, may have followed a Google Maps shortcut. He also described brake failure near the slope. These are preliminary explanations, not a completed finding that the navigation app caused the accident.

Police took the truck’s driver and owner into custody in Dholpur. Yadav announced ₹4 lakh for each bereaved family, ₹2 lakh for each seriously injured person and ₹50,000 for other injured people, alongside free treatment. Investigators are still working to establish the truck’s route and the sequence of events before the collision.