A video was recently shared on social media with users claiming that it showed a train which was allegedly attacked with stones while it was on its way to the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. However, an investigation by PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video dated back to July 2024 and showed a stone pelting incident on the Bhusawal-Nandurbar passenger train in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon. The old and unrelated video was shared on social media as recent with a false claim.
The video was shared on social media following a recent stone pelting incident on the Tapti Ganga Express carrying Maha Kumbh devotees while it was passing through Jalgaon.
Claim:
A Facebook user shared on January 14 a video, claiming that it showed stone pelting on Tapti Ganga Express carrying devotees to Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025.
The caption of the post, originally in Hindi, read: “Passengers of Tapti Ganga Express going to Maha Kumbh were attacked. Windowpanes of AC coaches were broken”
Here is the link and archive link of the post, and below is a screenshot of the same.
Investigation
The Desk ran the video through InVid Tool Search and found several keyframes. On running one of the keyframes through Google Lens, we came across another similar post, carrying the same video.
One such post can be found here and its archived version can be viewed here.
On further scanning the search results, we came across a report by Free Press Journal, published on July 13, 2024, whose headline read: “Maharashtra Viral Video: Stones Pelted AtBhusaval-Nandurbar Passenger Train By Unidentified Miscreants In Jalgaon”
Here is the link to the article and below is a screenshot of the same.
The Desk noticed that the feature image of the news report matched the visuals of the viral clip. Below is a combination image, highlighting the same.
A section of the report read: “Tensions prevailed in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra as an unidentified group of miscreants pelted stones at Bhusaval-Nandurbar passenger train. Reports said that the mob gathered at the railway tracks and began pelting stones at the train, due to which a state of panic struck among the minds of the passengers.”
In the next part of investigation, the Desk conducted a customised keyword search that yielded a report by TV9 Marathi. The title of the report originally in Marathi, translates to: “Incident of stone pelting on express in Amalner of Jalgaon”
Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same.
We also found an X post by Divisional Railway Manager- Mumbai Division of Western Railway, shared on July 13, 2024, regarding the incident.
“Railway is committed to ensuring the safety and security of passengers. In the said incident, the RPF in-charge of Amalner started an inquiry by registering AN CR 473/2024 against an unknown person under Railway Act 154. Amalner GRP has also been informed about the incident for necessary legal action,” read the post.
Here is the link to the post and below is the screenshot of the same.
We also found a report by Hindustan Times, dated January 14, whose headline read: “Stone pelted at train carrying people for Mahakumbh, passenger shows damaged windowpanes”.
Here is the link to the report and below is a screenshot of the same.
“A video of a passenger showing damaged windowpanes caused by stone pelting surfaced on social media. According to the passenger, an unknown person threw stones at the train, causing significant damage to the windowpane of the Tapti Ganga Express from Surat, which was headed for Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj,” read a section of the report.
Another report by NDTV, dated January 12, 2025, quoted the Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway saying that a stone was thrown on the train coming from Surat Udhan, near Jalgaon.
“A stone was thrown on this train, coming from Surat Udhna, near Jalgaon. In this case, immediate action was taken by the Railway Protection Force and four teams were deployed on the train. A complaint has also been lodged,” said Swapnil Neela, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway.
The title of the report read: “Stones Thrown At Train Headed To Prayagraj In UP For Maha Kumbh”
Here is the link to the report.
Subsequently, the Desk concluded that a video dating back to July 2024 was shared on social media as recent, falsely mentioning it as a recent stone pelting incident on a train in Jalgaon.
Conclusion: Several social media users circulated a video claiming it depicted a recent stone-pelting incident on the Tapti Ganga Express in Jalgaon, allegedly carrying Maha Kumbh devotees to Prayagraj. However, an investigation revealed that the viral video was from July 12, 2024, when stones were pelted at the Bhusawal-Nandurbar passenger train in Jalgaon. The video was misleadingly shared as recent on social media with a false claim.
(The fact-check article was originally published by PTI Fact Check and has been republished by Lighthouse Journalism as a part of Shakti Collective.)
