Railway Protection Force files four FIRs over stone-pelting on Kumbh trains

The RPF has also taken cognisance of two more incidents, one where passengers were released after counselling and another still being investigated.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) has filed at least four FIRs in separate incidents in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after a number of videos surfaced on social media showing people involved in stone-pelting and vandalising trains in an attempt to board Kumbh-special trains, as reported by The Indian Express.

Kanpur: Heavy rush of passengers at the Kanpur Central Staion to board the Kumbh Mela Special train for 'Mauni Amavasya' bath, in Kanpur, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (PTI Photo) (PTI01_28_2025_000515B)(PTI)

The RPF has also taken cognisance of two more incidents, one where passengers were released after counselling and another still being investigated.

Quoting officials, the report added that the accused are being identified using CCTV footage from railway stations.

Three incidents of passengers breaking train windows have been reported from Ekma, Madhubani and Danapur railway stations in Bihar.

One incident involved passengers inside the train being attacked by those outside with a wooden pole, another saw passengers entering the train’s engine and the third incident took place at Subedarganj railway station in Prayagraj, where stones were thrown at a Vande Bharat train.

An FIR was filed at the RPF Post in Chhapra Junction under Section 153 (endangering passenger safety) of the Railways Act after stones were allegedly thrown at the Lichchavi Express at Ekma station on 12 February.

At Madhubani station on 10 February, violent incidents were reported when windows and doors were closed from the inside. As passengers became anxious about missing their trains, some broke the windows, leading to the filing of an FIR.

FIR registered in Katihar

“On 12 February, at Katihar station, passengers trying to board train No. 12487 caused a disturbance, blocking other passengers from boarding. Based on a video shared on X, an FIR has been filed at the RPF Post Katihar against unidentified individuals,” as quoted by The Indian Express, the official added.

Another such incident occurred on 9 February, when passengers from another Kumbh Mela Special train clambered onto a non-working engine, thought to have happened in the middle of the night with its doors locked from the inside. This incident did not lead to the lodging of an FIR, and the passengers were safely removed and counselled. Additionally, there were reports of stone-pelting on a Vande Bharat train, with coach number C5 being damaged. A passenger named Pranav filed the complaint on 13 February. An FIR was filed at the Subedarganj RPF Post, and efforts are underway to identify the culprits using CCTV footage.