A video showing an overcrowded train, with passengers clinging to doors and windows, is going viral on social media. Many users claim that devotees are travelling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh mela.
The caption with the video in Hindi reads: महाकुंभ प्रयागराज जाने के लिए इतनी ज्यादा भीड़ है आप देख सकते हैं पैर रखने के लिए भी जगह नहीं है 🙏 (English version: “There is so much crowd to go to Maha Kumbh Prayagraj, you can see that there is no place even to put your feet 🙏”)
The above post can be seen here (archive)
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile investigated the viral claim, and found it to be MISLEADING.
On putting the video keyframes through Reverse Image Search, NewsMobile traced the exact clip to a YouTube, uploaded on January 19, 2025. The title of the video clearly indicates that it is from Bangladesh..
Searching further, we found a Reddit post, dated November 02, 2024, confirming that the video is from Bangladesh, where overcrowded trains are a common sight, especially during major events like Eid.
Trains in Bangladesh are often the most overcrowded in the world
byu/CalligrapherKey1216 ininterestingasfuck
Notably, Bangladesh is known for having some of the most overcrowded trains in the world, particularly during festive seasons. Scenes of passengers travelling on train rooftops and clinging to carriages are frequently documented.
Thus, it is clear that the viral video is NOT related to Maha Kumbh 2025 BUT a scene of passengers travelling on trani rooftops in Bangladesh.
