The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State to submit CCTV footage capturing the point at which a truck entered a residential area in Indore and began ploughing through pedestrians. The footage is expected to clarify how the vehicle accessed the locality. The Court also ordered that the status report filed by the State, containing sensitive details of the investigation, be kept in a sealed cover.
These directions arose from suo motu proceedings initiated after a local newspaper published a video depicting the tragic incident, in which a truck traveled some two kilometers from Kalani Nagar Square to Bada Ganpati Square during peak hours, killing three persons, injuring thirty-five and leaving twelve grievously hurt. The High Court had earlier summoned the Commissioner of Police to explain the circumstances of the event and had issued notices to both the State and the Police Commissioner, demanding a detailed affidavit of the steps being taken to prevent a recurrence.
In court, the Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) appeared and revealed that the affidavit was divided into three parts: the facts of the incident; actions already undertaken by the police and State; and the future prevention plan. However, since the investigation was still in progress and chargesheets against nine suspended officers were pending, the State’s counsel did not file the affidavit with the registry, instead submitting a copy directly to the Bench.
The Court emphasized the necessity to preserve the status report without public exposure, ordering that it be stored in a sealed cover and produced at each hearing until further orders. Recognizing the seriousness and the complexity of the issues, the Court also decided to appoint an Amicus Curiae to assist it in the matter. The case has been listed for further hearing on October 10.
In its order, the division bench—led by Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf—noted that although the status report had been taken on record, the investigation into the conduct of police officers and other responsibilities was ongoing. Given the sensitive nature of the material, the sealed cover measure was mandated. The Court specifically required the State to file with it the CCTV footage from cameras at the entry point used by the offending truck.
Thus, the High Court is actively overseeing the inquiry into the tragic Indore truck rampage, mandating crucial evidence to be placed on record, ensuring protection of investigative material, and engaging expert assistance to examine the incident and systemic failures involved.
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