Gwalior, Oct 18 A search for a shortcut on Google Maps may have led the truck driver into a restricted zone near the temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior on Sunday, where the vehicle mowed down devotees, killing 15 and injuring more than 25 others, police said.
The driver, Bilbagh Singh, a Delhi resident, was following GPS navigation when his paddy-laden vehicle entered the prohibited road near the 125-year-old Sheetla Mata Temple and ploughed into worshippers waiting for darshan, an official told PTI.
Police arrested the 40-year-old driver hours after he fled the crash site and hid near the shrine in a state of shock, he said.
“The driver was trembling with fear and unable to recall where he was transporting the consignment. Initial investigations suggest either brake failure or a failure to apply brakes caused the tragedy,” the official said.
According to the police, the Punjab-registered heavy vehicle entered the no-entry zone on Chinar Road around 1.30 am, crushing devotees and destroying roadside shops before slamming into the entrance gate of the 125-year-old shrine. The impact brought down a portion of the temple wall, burying several people under the debris.
Another official investigating the gruesome accident said that the brakes may have failed, forcing the driver to swerve left while trying to control the vehicle.
Had the truck continued straight, it could have hit 600 to 700 devotees, he said.
The shrine, located 20 km from Gwalior city, attracts thousands during Navratri. Vehicular movement is barred within a one-kilometre radius of the temple to avoid congestion.
The truck smashed through police barricades at high speed, injuring two constables who tried to halt it, Collector Ruchika Chouhan told reporters.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a magisterial inquiry and directed the removal of the Gwalior City Superintendent of Police. He also ordered the suspension of three Station House Officers, a traffic inspector, a head constable, and three constables for gross negligence.
Collector Chouhan has also ordered a magisterial inquiry and appointed Additional District Magistrate C B Prasad as the inquiry officer, directing him to submit a report within seven days.
The inquiry will examine the cause of the accident, how the truck reached the spot, whether negligence occurred and who was responsible. It will also recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.
(PTI News)
