West Bengal: Vande Bharat train pelted with stones again in New Jalpaiguri
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vande Bharat Express virtually on Saturday. The incidents of alleged stone pelting at the train triggered a political tussle in the state.
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One window pane each in two coaches of Vande Bharat express were damaged before the train reached New Jalpaiguri station on Tuesday afternoon, an official said. (Photo: ANI) THE HOWRAH-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express was on Tuesday pelted with stones for the second time, days after its inaugural run. According to railway officials, a glass window each in two coaches of the train was damaged in the incident. No injuries were reported, they said.
“Within 24 hours after the Malda incident, we received complaints of stone pelting at the Vande Bharat Express train again. Stones were allegedly pelted on the train bound for New Jalpaiguri around 1:20 pm on Tuesday. The incident apparently took place in the car shed area,” said a railway official.
A source in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said the window panes of the C-3 and C-6 coaches were damaged. The cracked glass was noticed after the Howrah-bound train entered New Jalpaiguri station on Tuesday evening. Sources said a complaint was then filed at the Samsi post of the RPF.
On Monday, stones were pelted at the train at Kumarganj in Malda district while it was on the way to Howrah. Eastern Railway authorities said a door on the right side of the C-13 coach was damaged. The Government Railway Police (GRP) and RPF on Wednesday said they have taken several steps to thwart such incidents in future.
According to a GRP official, a WhatsApp group has been created exclusively to share the status of the train after it crosses every station in its to and fro journey between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri (NJP).
GRP personnel would be on board the train to help the authorities pinpoint the place where such incidents happen, the official said. Generally, RPF personnel are deployed inside a train. An awareness campaign has also been launched in some station areas to prevent recurrence of such incidents. “Efforts are on to find out who all are behind the incidents. Investigations have started. Various steps were taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” GRP Superintendent of Police S Selvamurugan said. Senior RPF and GRP offficers convened a meeting here in this regard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vande Bharat Express virtually on Saturday. The incidents of alleged stone pelting at the train triggered a political tussle in the state. The BJP demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, while the ruling TMC saw a “conspiracy to “defame the state.” — WITH PTI INPUTS
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