PATNA: A massive rush of aspirants at Patna Junction on Sunday triggered chaotic scenes, as candidates for the Bihar Police Prohibition Department exam struggled to board overcrowded trains. Several students said they missed the exam due to delays, cancellations, and lack of seating arrangements.
Students Left Stranded
A student named Ravi Kumar said the limited number of trains led to chaos. "There are 14 lakh students and only two trains from Patliputra. How many students can travel? I missed my first-shift exam. I'm returning from Patliputra," he told ANI. Another student, Ravindra Kumar, said he missed his exam due to severe overcrowding. "I missed my exam. My centre was in Samastipur. I travelled from Patliputra. The train was at 9:35am but hasn't left yet. Many students were arriving late. There was no place to sit," he said, adding, "The crowd was so intense that there was no space to even hang from the door." He further said cancellations worsened the situation. "There was so much crowd. It was the last train. Students weren't letting others in," he added.
Train Cancellations Add to Chaos
Mukesh Kumar, another candidate appearing for the exam, said train cancellations further added to the rush. "A train was cancelled a while ago, which has led to even more crowd. There is no space inside. We are travelling by hanging from the door," he said. Another candidate, Sneha Kumari, said she was unable to appear for her exam due to disruptions in train services. "The train stopped in the middle and was cancelled. There was another train at 6:30 AM, but I couldn't reach there on time. So, I missed it," she said.
Students Urge Authorities for Special Trains
Several students urged authorities to operate additional trains during major examinations to prevent such situations. Saurav Kumar criticised the arrangements, linking the situation to broader governance promises. "PM Modi says India will be a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. Look at this, how will India become a 'Viksit Bharat'? There is so much crowd that people don't even have a place to sit in passenger trains. What kind of trains are they running?" he asked. Kumar urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to operate special trains during examination periods.
Stone-Pelting and Vandalism at Patliputra Station
Meanwhile, tensions turned volatile at Patliputra Railway Station earlier in the day after agitation among passengers reportedly escalated into stone-pelting and vandalism. The unrest broke out amid delays and a large crowd of examinees attempting to board trains. According to officials, security personnel had to intervene after certain groups allegedly obstructed train movement and created disturbances, including pulling emergency chains. Police used mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order.
District Magistrate Responds
Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM said the disruption occurred around midnight amid a heavy rush of examinees. "Around midnight, we received information that some people were creating a disturbance. We repeatedly requested them not to cause a ruckus and to cooperate with the examinees who wished to take the exam. However, certain anti-social elements repeatedly pulled the emergency chain and raised various demands, such as a request for special trains, even though two special trains were already available," he said. He added that train operations were later normalised. "Due to these issues, we had to use mild force. The situation is completely normal now, and the trains have departed; the trains meant for those taking the exam have already left. Train operations are proceeding normally as well," he said.
Situation Now Under Control
Police have confirmed that the situation is now under control and train services have resumed normally. Further investigation into the incident is underway.
