Harpalpur:
A special train travelling from Jhansi to Prayaraj was pelted with stones at Harpalpur station after passengers waiting on the platform found the doors of the compartments locked. Videos circulating on social media show the attackers throwing stones at the train and shattering its windows as the passengers scream in fear.
In one of the videos, a passenger is heard saying that the train left the Jhansi station for Prayagraj around 8 pm yesterday. “The train reached Harpalpur and came under attack. They damaged the train and threw stones inside. They tried to kill passengers. There are women and children here.”
This special train is being run for the Mahakumbh in Prayaraj, drawing visitors from across the country. Most passengers boarding the train are headed to the spiritual fest.
According to reports, many people were waiting at Harpalpur — about two hours journey from Jhansi — to board the train. But they found the doors locked when they tried to get on the train. The agitated passengers turned violent and started throwing stones at the compartments. They also shattered the windows of the train’s doors, sparking panic among the passengers inside.
Harpalpur police station in-charge Pushpak Sharma said some people threw stones at the train when it reached the railway station around 2 am.
Railways spokesperson Manoj Singh said a crowd of passengers headed for Prayagraj were waiting on the platform. The train arrived and they tried to get in, but found the doors locked. “They became agitated and created an uproar,” he said, adding that Railway police reached the spot soon, calmed people down and sent them on their journey.
Inputs by Irfan Pathan