Gwalior temple tragedy: CM Yadav orders City SP’s removal, 8 others after 14 deaths

NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday ordered the removal of Gwalior’s City SP and eight others over alleged negligence that left 14 dead and 28 injured as a truck rammed into the devotees in a temple.

“Instructions have been issued to immediately remove the CSP from his post and suspend three station house officers, one traffic inspector, one head constable, and three constables,” Yadav said in a post on X.

Around 1.30 am on Sunday, a truck, with a Punjab registration number, entered the prohibited zone near a slope on Chinor Road and ran over devotees outside the Sheetla Mata temple, in Gwalior district, eventually ramming into its entrance gate.

14 people were killed in the incident; 28 were injured, with seven in critical condition, officials said, as per PTI. Two police personnel were also among the injured. A wall of the temple reportedly collapsed under the impact of the collision.

The impact caused a temple wall to collapse, trapping people beneath the debris. The bodies of the deceased and the injured were taken to various hospitals, including the trauma centre in Gwalior.

"The accident occurred because the truck entered a prohibited area," Yadav told reporters in Indore, PTI reported. The CM also ordered a detailed investigation into the incident to find those responsible and ensure strict action against the guilty.

"The safety of all citizens is paramount. To prevent the recurrence of such incidents in future, security arrangements will be reviewed and necessary steps taken. No negligence will be tolerated at any level in public safety," he said.

Yadav announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and said the government would cover the medical expenses of those seriously injured. Those who sustained minor injuries would receive financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each, he added.