Four Vande Bharat trains pelted with stones by miscreants in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

Bengaluru: Four Vande Bharat trains were pelted with stones by unknown miscreants in different locations in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh while passing through the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, officials said on Tuesday.

Though no passenger or staff sustained any injuries, the window panes of the trains were damaged in the incident which occurred on Sunday in the Bengaluru division of SWR, they said.

Three separate cases have been registered in connection with each of these incidents of stone pelting, officials said.

According to the SWR officials, the first incident occurred at 6.15 am when train (no 20661) Dharwad Vande Bharat Express was pelted with stones after passing Chikkabanavara railway station.

The second incident occurred at 3.20 pm when the train (no 20662) was running from Dharwad to Bangalore City Junction.

The third incident was at 4.30 pm when the train (no 20608) from Mysore Junction to Chennai Central was pelted with stones before the Kuppam station in Andhra Pradesh. The fourth incident took place at 8 pm, when the train (no 20704) passed near Dharmavaram Junction in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Cases have been registered under relevant sections of the Railway Act and an investigation is underway to nab the culprits, a senior SWR official said.

The Railway Protection Force have been patrolling vulnerable spots and sections in the Bengaluru division to prevent such stone-pelting incidents on trains, he said.

In a statement, the SWR said, ”A few incidents of pelting stones at Vande Bharat trains on a few sections of the South Western Railway have been reported recently between Chalgeri-Kumarapatnam Siding and near Chikkabanavara, Kuppam and Dharmavaram Railway Stations. Railway Protection Force and GRP (Government Railway Police) personnel are keeping a vigil in such areas.”

Pelting stones on trains is a criminal offence under sections 153 (Endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by wilful act or omission) and 154 (Endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by rash or negligent act or omission) prescribed in the Railway Act, it said.

According to the statement, apart from stepping up vigils, awareness drives are being organised by the RPF at the locations of such incidents as well as in neighbouring areas covering schools, villages etc. so that miscreants desist from acts which endanger the safety of train operations, it said.

The SWR has appealed to the public and passengers to inform them on the toll-free helpline number (139) if they come across incidents such as trespassing and stone pelting.

Railway property is public property and protecting it is everybody’s responsibility, it said.