Fact check: Did Army jawans, passengers push start a train?
A viral video on social media—showing Indian Army personnel, police, railway staff, and passengers pushing and moving a train—claimed the transport stopped abruptly and people united to assist the loco driver. However, the claim has turned out to be false. Issuing a clarification on Monday, the South Central Railway said the matter was related to a fire incident and not a sudden halt.
Opposition criticized BJP for incident
According to several media outlets, a passenger train on the South Central Railway route stopped midway, which allegedly prompted officials and commuters onboard to join forces. The clip was widely shared by netizens, including Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, who criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre for the incident. Many users praised the display of teamwork captured on camera.
Here's the viral video
Indian Railways spokesperson shares facts
Following the misleading information, Amitabh Sharma, spokesperson for Indian Railways, shared factual details about the incident. He tweeted that the video was related to the Falaknuma Express, whose six coaches caught fire on Friday night on the Howrah-Secunderabad route. To prevent the fire from spreading, an engine was on its way to detach the other coaches, but the officials did not wait for it.
Officials detached, moved coaches to prevent fire
Sharma added, "Instead of just waiting for the engine to come, our alert Railway and local police personnel took immediate action." They joined hands to detach the rear coaches and avoid the further spread of fire, he continued. Reports said around 300 passengers onboard the train were safely rescued and sent to their destinations via buses.
Trains can't be pushed to start like cars
Notably, a locomotive cannot be started by pushing like a motor vehicle because its wheels are not directly connected to the engine. In a motor vehicle, the push effect causes the engine piston to move, which ultimately starts the engine. However, in a locomotive—electrical or diesel—the wheels are connected to the generators through wires. So, pushing the train would not move the engine.
