After failing to board the packed Swatantrata Senani Express, a group of irate individuals damaged a train at Madhubani railway station in Bihar by throwing stones and breaking glass. Significant damage was caused by the event, as broken glass fell upon train passengers.
When the Swatantrata Senani Express reached Madhubani station, it was already full of passengers on its way to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh Mela. Many devotees were unable to board because the AC coaches were so packed, according to witnesses, that doors could not open. The mob became so irate that they started stone-pelting the train, destroying many compartments and aiming for the windows.
Madhubani was not the end of the conflict. More stones were hurled when the train approached Darbhanga, breaking the windows of coaches M1 through B5 and A1 of train number 12561. The depth of the mayhem was shown at Samastipur station when frantic passengers were seen clambering through damaged windows into the AC carriages.
Online videos of the incident show broken glass crashing on passengers and the heated altercation between the angry mob on the platform and those inside the train. Social media users have criticized the incident’s lack of rigorous law enforcement, sparking widespread outrage.
“The person who broke the glass immediately fled like a coward,” one user said. “India requires strict law enforcement, CCTV surveillance to identify culprits, and immediate, consistent penalties to deter such acts of vandalism,” said another, who urged for prompt penalties.
No arrests or other proceedings against the individuals engaged in the event have been announced by the authorities as of yet. Concerns over railway security are raised by the occurrence, particularly during significant religious occasions like the Mahakumbh Mela.