Video: Passengers Lock Themselves In Train's Loco Cabin Amid Mahakumbh Rush

The Mahakumbh Mela 2025 has witnessed a record-breaking influx of devotees, leading to utter chaos at railway stations in Varanasi. In a desperate bid to travel, some passengers have been forced to take extreme measures, including sitting inside train engines, due to the acute shortage of seats. In a recent video, some passengers were seen entering the locomotive cabin of a train at Varanasi Cantt railway station. 

The video showed passengers treating the engine cabin as a regular coach and barging into it, oblivious to the risks. They even locked the door from inside. However, Railway personnel quickly intervened, removing around 20 men and women from the engine and warning them of the dangers of occupying critical operational areas. After removing the passengers from the locomotive cabin, the authorities arranged alternative accommodations for them in other train compartments.

Watch the video here:

ये तो हाल है रेलवे का. यात्री ट्रेन के इंजन में घुसे जा रहे हैं. तस्वीर वाराणसी की है.

यह महाकुंभ स्पेशल ट्रेन का हाल है. यात्रियों ने इंजन में घुस पॉयलट के जगह पर क़ब्ज़ा कर लिया .फिर जैसे तैसे RPF ने इन जबरन घुसे यात्रियों को बाहर निकाला. pic.twitter.com/G4Dm7nT5Xf

— राहुल ग़ाज़ियाबाद (@RahulGhaziabadd) February 10, 2025

The incident has gone viral on social media, highlighting the extreme pressure on Varanasi's transportation system. 

The Mahakumbh Mela, one of the largest Hindu pilgrimages, has drawn millions of devotees to Varanasi, causing an unprecedented surge in demand for train travel. The resulting chaos has overwhelmed railway infrastructure, with thousands of passengers struggling to find seats on trains. 

The overcrowding on trains has raised serious safety concerns, with passengers at risk of being injured or worse. Railway authorities have appealed to passengers to follow safety guidelines and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Railway authorities have been working around the clock to manage the crowds, but the sheer number of passengers has made it a daunting task.