Fact Check: Delhi stampede–Overcrowded train carries devotees to Kumbh Mela? No, viral video is old
A video of an overcrowded train has been circulating with the claim that it shows devotees travelling to Maha Kumbh Mela in UP.
By Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:The video shows devotees travelling in an overcrowded train to attend the ongoing Kumbh Mela.
Fact:The claim is false. The video is old and has gone viral several times since 2018.
Hyderabad: On February 15, a massive stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station resulted in the deaths of at least 18 individuals, including 14 women and several children. The incident unfolded around 8 pm local time as thousands of pilgrims gathered to board trains bound for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
In this context, a video of a running overcrowded train has been circulating on social media with the claim suggesting that it shows devotees travelling to the ongoing Kumbh Mela.
Taking a dig at the government’s preparation for organising the Kumbh Mela, an X user shared the video with the caption, “This preparation was going on for three years. #KumbhStampede #trainaccident” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The video has been on the internet since at least 2018.
We performed a reverse image search of the video’s keyframes and found that it was uploaded to YouTube on February 27, 2018. The channel claimed that the video was from Patna, Bihar.
Upon further investigation, we discovered that the video had also gone viral in 2022 with the claim that it showed UP-PET students travelling to exam centres. However, the official X handle of North Central Railway clarified in a post on October 15, 2022, that the video was unrelated to the UP-PET exam.
On October 15, 2022, the Uttar Pradesh government’s fact-check X handle also clarified that the video was unrelated to the UP-PET exam.
NewsMeter could not verify the exact location and the year of the video. However, we conclude that the video has been doing rounds since 2018 and is unrelated to the ongoing Kumbh Mela in UP’s Prayagraj. The claim is false.
