At least 15 parishioners have lost their lives and several more people have been injured to varying degrees on the night of this Saturday, after a truck ran over them while they were gathered around the Sheetla Mata temple, in the city of Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
According to police sources, the vehicle, which was transporting rice, was traveling down a steep slope where heavy truck traffic is restricted. The driver lost control and the truck ended up crashing into one of the outer walls and the main door of the religious site, after crossing the police barricades placed around the perimeter and charging at a group of worshippers.
"This is a tragic incident in which numerous pilgrims were heading to the Sheetla Mata temple. The road coming from Chhinor has a steep slope (...) Around 1:30 AM (local time), a truck loaded with rice stopped there. The truck broke through the police barricades, lost control suddenly, rushed down and crashed into the outer wall and the temple door. The devotees who were on the road were crushed, which caused the accident," explained the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Gwalior, Dharmveer Singh, to the Indian channel NDTV.
The police command has specified that among the injured are two officers who were on duty at the accident site and who are already "receiving treatment." In addition, another 39 civilians were immediately evacuated to medical centers after the incident: twelve of them have died, six remain in critical condition with fractures, and the rest are being treated for minor injuries.
The local authorities have launched an investigation to clarify how the truck managed to overcome the barricades and the police control set up along the road. At the same time, the vehicle is undergoing a technical inspection with the aim of determining exactly what happened and whether a possible mechanical failure could have caused the loss of control.