Thousands of candidates appearing for the Bihar Police Prohibition Department recruitment examination brought railway operations to a standstill at Patliputra Railway Station on Saturday after protesting against what they described as inadequate transportation arrangements to their examination centres. The agitation led to hours of disruption, damaged railway property, and eventually police intervention as authorities struggled to restore order.
The recruitment examination was scheduled to take place on Sunday in two separate shifts, prompting large numbers of candidates from different districts to travel to their designated examination centres a day earlier. By Saturday night, thousands of aspirants had gathered at Patliputra Railway Station, creating heavy congestion and increasing pressure on available transport services.
According to several candidates, the railway authorities had failed to arrange a sufficient number of trains despite being aware of the large volume of examination-related travel. As crowds continued to grow and transportation options appeared inadequate, frustration among the candidates intensified.
The situation reached a breaking point when candidates attempted to board a special examination train operating between Patliputra and Katihar. The rush to enter the train reportedly resulted in severe overcrowding, confusion and panic. As many candidates struggled to secure space on the train, anger quickly spread among the crowd.
In protest, thousands of candidates descended onto the railway tracks and blocked train movement. They sat on the tracks, raised slogans against the authorities and demanded immediate arrangements for their transportation to examination centres. The blockade brought rail traffic to a complete halt and affected the movement of several trains passing through the station.
As the agitation intensified, reports emerged of vandalism inside the examination special train. Some railway property was allegedly damaged during the protest, further complicating efforts to restore normal operations. Several trains remained stranded at different platforms and nearby sections for hours as the blockade continued.
Senior railway officials, along with administrative and police authorities, rushed to the station in an effort to defuse the situation. Officials from the Railways, the Danapur Sub-Divisional Magistrate's office and senior police officers engaged with the protesting candidates and attempted to persuade them to vacate the tracks peacefully.
To address the candidates' concerns, railway authorities eventually arranged additional special trains and alternative transportation facilities to help aspirants reach their examination centres. These measures were introduced in an effort to ease overcrowding and reassure candidates that they would not miss their examinations.
Despite these efforts, tensions remained high at the station. Senior officials, including Inspector General Jitendra Rana, the district police chief and other administrative officers, remained at the site to monitor developments and coordinate response measures. During the unrest, IG Rana reportedly sustained minor injuries, while the officer-in-charge of Rupaspur Police Station was also said to have suffered minor injuries.
Even after negotiations and transportation arrangements were announced, some protesters continued to block railway operations and raise slogans. As the situation became increasingly difficult to control and concerns grew about the prolonged disruption of rail services, police decided to take stronger measures.
Authorities first deployed tear gas shells in an attempt to disperse the crowd and clear the tracks. When tensions continued and railway operations remained paralysed, police reportedly fired three rounds into the air as a warning measure to bring the situation under control and restore order at the station.
The firing and police action eventually helped disperse the protesters, although the atmosphere remained tense for some time. Additional police personnel were deployed across the station premises and nearby areas to prevent any further disturbances and ensure that railway operations could resume safely.
Following the clearance of the tracks, railway authorities began efforts to gradually restore train services and clear the backlog created by the prolonged disruption. Officials also continued coordinating transportation arrangements to ensure candidates could reach their examination venues without further delay.
Security at Patliputra Railway Station has since been significantly strengthened. Authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the disruption, the damage caused during the protest and the overall impact on railway services. Investigations into the incidents of vandalism and the circumstances that led to the unrest are also expected to continue.
The episode has once again highlighted the logistical challenges associated with large-scale recruitment examinations in Bihar, where lakhs of candidates often travel simultaneously across the state. The incident has sparked debate over the need for better planning, improved transportation arrangements and more effective coordination between examination authorities and railway officials to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
