Four kanwariyas killed as speeding car hits group of devotees in M.P.’s Gwalior

Four kanwariyas were killed and two injured in the early hours of Wednesday (July 23, 2025) after a speeding car mowed them down in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district when they were returning to their homes, police said.

According to the police, the incident took place around 1.30 a.m. on the Shivpuri link road of Agra-Mumbai National Highway (NH-3) and that three men were declared brought dead in the hospital while one person succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Gwalior Superintendent of Police (SP) Dharmvir Singh told The Hindu that a total of five men were travelling in the car and two of them have been taken into custody.

“The search is on for others while were are investigating who among them was driving, through CCTV footage analysis of the area. We will also get their blood tests done to check if they were drunk at the time,” Mr. Singh said, adding that it was a rented car.

SP, City (CSP), Vishwavidyalaya area, Hina Khan said that the two critically injured persons are currently under treatment.

Ms. Khan said that the victims hailed from Sidhauna village in Ghatigaon police station area and were returning from a monsoon waterfall near a Lord Shiva temple in neighbouring Bhadavana area.

“They were bringing water from that waterfall, which was to be offered to Lord Shiva [temple] in their village,” Ms. Khan said, adding that that it was a group of 13 people and six of them were hit by the car.

“The family members of the victims who were with them have told us that the car was coming at high speed when one of its tyres burst and it lost control, hitting the Kanwar yatris walking on the roadside,” she said.

Ms. Khan said that the car, which overturned on the roadside, was recovered and that the owner of the vehicle has also been identified.

Mr. Singh said that a spot inspection of the location and a mechanical check of the vehicle will be done to ascertain the cause of the incident.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident and announced financial aid of ₹4 lakh to the kin of each victim. “Offering heartfelt tributes, I pray to Baba Mahakal to grant peace to the departed souls and a place in his divine feet. Each deceased’s immediate family will be provided with financial assistance of ₹4 lakh by the State Government. My deepest condolences are with the grieving families. May God grant them the strength to bear this immense sorrow,” Mr. Yadav said on X.