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‘Why are you hitting us?’: Passengers exchange punches on Varanasi–Lucknow Express in Amethi, video captures chaos

Social media users have criticised the failure to ensure passenger safety, while the railway police have launched a probe.

2 min readNew DelhiDec 25, 2025 06:29 PM IST

Passengers fight on Varanasi–Lucknow Express

The footage shows a group of young men attacking each other as others stand by helplessly

A routine train journey turned chaotic in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi after an argument between two groups of passengers over boarding the Varanasi–Lucknow Intercity Express spiralled into a physical fight. A 19-second video capturing the incident has since gone viral on social media.

The clip shows panic on the coach as punches and kicks fly, with several passengers caught in the scuffle. Amid the chaos, a distressed woman can be heard shouting, “hum logo ko kaahe maar rahe ho?” (why are you hitting us?), highlighting how uninvolved travellers were affected.

According to a News18 report, the clash broke out around 8:30 am on Wednesday while the train was still stationed at Amethi railway station. What reportedly began as a dispute over boarding and seat availability quickly escalated into violence, leaving fellow passengers visibly shaken.

The footage shows a group of young men attacking each other as others stand by helplessly, raising fresh concerns over passenger safety on crowded trains.

Watch the video:

Inside Varanasi-Lucknow intercity train near Amethi in UP. pic.twitter.com/KlRvwC74TU

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) December 24, 2025

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Farid Khan, in-charge of the GRP outpost at Amethi railway station, said authorities came to know about the incident only after the video surfaced online. Since then, the clip has drawn widespread attention, prompting reactions from both officials and the public.

Responding on X, RailwaySeva stated, “For necessary action escalated to the concerned official.” The Superintendent of Police of the Government Railway Police added that the GRP Police Station in Pratapgarh is working to identify those involved using the video. “Necessary action will be taken based on the written complaint,” he said.

Online reactions were equally sharp, with many users slamming what they saw as a failure to ensure passenger safety. One comment read, “no civic sense no unity here.” Another user wrote, “This has become the new normal in ‘New India’—anger everywhere, empathy nowhere… When outrage replaces reason and hostility becomes routine, it’s social decay being marketed as confidence.”