Patna: Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel allegedly used force against a crowd of devotees at Patna Junction on Tuesday night, as passengers attempted to board trains heading to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj for Maghi Purnima. Witnesses reported that the RPF lathi-charged devotees around 9pm.
The Sampoorna Kranti Express, which was stationed at platform 4, was at the centre of the chaos. The train, which travels to New Delhi via Prayagraj, saw a surge of passengers jostling to board. As overcrowding intensified, RPF personnel reportedly resorted to using batons to control the situation.
Earlier, two Kumbh Special Trains had arrived at platforms 4 and 5, leading to a rush of devotees attempting to board. Both trains were reportedly packed beyond capacity, leaving 200-250 passengers stranded. When the Rajendranagar-New Delhi Sampoorna Kranti Express arrived an hour late, desperate devotees ran to secure seats, even attempting to board AC coaches.
The situation escalated near the AC compartments, where ticketed passengers struggled to enter due to the rush. This led to scuffles, prompting the RPF to remove non-ticketed passengers by force, leaving many with minor injuries.
A similar rush was reported at Barauni Junction, where the Sampoorna Kranti Express saw frantic attempts by passengers to board, resulting in ticket-holders missing their train amid the chaos.
