A chaotic scene unfolded at Katihar Railway Station in Bihar on Tuesday evening when hundreds of candidates returning after appearing for the Prohibition Constable Recruitment Examination attempted to board the Rajdhani Express, leading to protests and a brief police lathi charge.

The situation escalated after railway personnel removed candidates who had entered reserved coaches amid heavy overcrowding. Tensions mounted as agitated examinees protested on the platform and some allegedly attempted to prevent the train from leaving, prompting intervention by the Railway Police.

Rush to Board Train Sparks Disorder

A large number of candidates had gathered at the station after completing the first shift of the recruitment examination and were waiting to return to their hometowns.

As the Rajdhani Express arrived, hundreds of passengers surged towards the train amid limited travel options and overcrowding. Several candidates managed to board reserved coaches before Railway Police personnel removed them.

The action triggered protests on the platform, with heated exchanges breaking out between candidates and police personnel.

Visuals from the station showed large crowds trying to enter the train while security personnel escorted passengers out of the reserved compartments.

Protest Intensifies, Police Use Mild Force

The situation worsened when some candidates moved towards the locomotive and allegedly attempted to stop the Rajdhani Express from departing.

Railway Police repeatedly made announcements urging the crowd to stay away from the engine and maintain order, but tensions continued to rise.

As the crowd pressed ahead, police used mild force and carried out a lathi charge to disperse the gathering and bring the situation under control.

During the commotion, a woman candidate was involved in a prolonged argument with police personnel before women police officers intervened and escorted her away.

Police also detained a person described as an anti-social element who was allegedly involved in creating disturbances during the unrest.

For some time, panic gripped the station as large groups of candidates gathered on both sides of the railway tracks, complicating efforts to restore order.

Railway Officials Restore Normalcy

Railway DSP AK Akela later reached the station and supervised efforts to normalise the situation.

He said candidates had been prevented from boarding the Rajdhani Express because of overcrowding and noted that a large number of examinees had arrived from Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar after the first shift of the examination.

According to the officer, the railways had arranged special trains from Kishanganj and Forbesganj and had introduced additional services to accommodate the sudden increase in passenger numbers.

Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the candidates, Akela said the administration’s focus was on managing the unexpected rush and addressing passengers’ concerns.

“They are children, so they get a little heated. That has to be handled. There is bound to be inconvenience when such a large crowd gathers suddenly. Our focus is on how to address their difficulties,” he said.

Following the intervention of senior railway officials and police personnel, the situation gradually returned to normal and the Rajdhani Express departed according to schedule.

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