Truck kills 13 at Hindu festival in India's Gwalior

A speeding truck lost control and ploughed into a crowd gathered at a Hindu festival in central India early on Oct 18, killing 13 people, according to officials. The incident took place at a temple in Gwalior, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where devotees had assembled for the celebration. The Press Trust of India news agency cited hospital officials for the death toll.

President Droupadi Murmu described the loss of life as 'heartbreaking' in a message posted on social media. She offered her deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and said she prayed for the swift recovery of those who were injured. The truck was reported to have been heavily loaded when the driver lost control.

The deaths add to a grim tally on India's roads. According to the country's Roads Ministry, the nation of 1.4 billion people recorded more than 183,000 road traffic deaths in 2025 — an average of over 500 every day. Official data attributes many of those fatalities to inadequate road infrastructure, poorly maintained vehicles and exhausted drivers.

Religious gatherings in India frequently draw large crowds to temples and festival sites, where vehicles and pedestrians often share limited space. The Gwalior crash is the latest in a series of incidents in which out-of-control vehicles have struck devotees during such events.

Authorities have not yet released further details on the circumstances of the crash or on the condition of the injured. Investigations into how the truck came to leave the road are expected to follow, with the incident renewing attention on road safety enforcement across Madhya Pradesh and beyond.