An old video of civil unrest at a Patna railway station has been falsely linked to July 20 protests in Delhi by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters. While social media posts alleged that protesters attacked a hydrogen train, Northern Railway officials confirmed the footage is unrelated to recent events and does not depict a hydrogen train. The video actually dates back to June 14, when Bihar Police constable aspirants engaged in stone-pelting at Patliputra station.
Origin of the Viral Footage
The footage, which circulated widely on platforms including X and Facebook on July 20, shows individuals pelting stones at a blue train inside a rail station. According to reports from the BBC on June 14, the incident occurred at Patliputra railway station in Patna. The commotion was sparked by disgruntled Bihar Police constable aspirants who were demanding special train arrangements. This unrest led to a police lathi-charge and temporary disruption of rail traffic.
False Claims and Official Clarification
On July 20, as CJP youth supporters marched toward the Parliament to demand the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the old footage resurfaced with claims that protesters were attacking a hydrogen train. X user Janardan Mishra (@JanardanMis) initiated the claim, which was subsequently amplified by several public figures and influencers. BJP Rajya Sabha member Rekha Sharma described the individuals in the video as “payed goons,” while BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi and accounts such as @MeghUpdates also shared the video with similar allegations.
Northern Railway officially debunked the claim via their X handle. They clarified that the train in the video is powered by a WAG 12 locomotive, not a hydrogen train. The agency stated that the hydrogen train is operating according to its regular schedule and identified the footage as an old recording.
Implications of Misinformation
Several individuals who shared the claim, including BJP leader Tajinder Bagga, RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya, and accounts like Raushan Sinha and Rishi Bagree, faced scrutiny as the factual origins of the video were revealed. Some users subsequently deleted their posts.
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