Several passengers resorted to pelting stones at a special train running from Jhansi to Prayagraj at Harpalpur station after they found that they were locked out of the overcrowded train.
According to an NDTV report, many people were waiting at Harpalpur a two-hour journey from Jhansi just to board the train, only to find the doors locked.
The train that was already packed beyond capacity was heading to Prayagraj where the Maha Kumbh festival was ongoing. According to The Times Of India (TOI), the incident occurred between 1 am and 1:30 am. Passengers inside the train didn’t open the doors because that train was already overcrowded, agitated by this the local passengers waiting at the platform started stone-throwing and shattering the windows of the train's doors, triggering panic among the passengers inside.
The Harpalpur police station in-charge Pushpak Sharma told TOI, there were about 8,000 people at the platform. When the train arrived it was already crowded. “Some passengers started throwing stones.” The police rushed to the spot to control the situation and dispersed the mob.
“It took around an hour to manage the situation, after which the train safely departed," he said.
Some vandalism was reported at Chhattarpur railway station. However, the police managed the situation. As per the report, a large crowd was also present at Chhattarpur railway station, “, but passengers on board did not open the gates as the train was already overcrowded.”
“When we arrived, only one person was seen throwing stones, and he escaped. The train was delayed by nearly half an hour," Civil Lines police station in-charge Valmiki Dubey told TOI.
The Maha Kumbh Mela has attracted a significant number of devotees to Prayagraj, where they come to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. As of 8 AM on Tuesday, over 4.55 million people, including 1 million Kalpawasis, have taken a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, as per the Uttar Pradesh Information Department.