Stone pelting on moving trains punishable offence: Southern Railways

Southern Railways warns that stone pelting on trains is a serious crime, punishable with up to life imprisonment.

The Southern Railway on Sunday (March 22, 2026) issued an urgent public appeal against stone pelting on moving trains following recent incidents that have threatened passenger safety and disrupted rail services.

Officials warned that such unlawful acts pose a grave safety hazard as stones thrown at moving trains can shatter window panes and cause serious injuries or permanent harm to passengers including children and senior citizens.

In a press statement, the Chennai division of Southern Railway said stone pelting is a punishable offence under the Railways Act of 1989.

Under Section 152 of the Act throwing stones or any object at a train with intent to cause harm is punishable with imprisonment for ten years or even life imprisonment. Furthermore Section 154 provides for imprisonment and fines for acts that endanger the safety of passengers.

To curb these activities the Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police have intensified patrolling in vulnerable locations across the Chennai Division.

Surveillance through CCTV and other monitoring mechanisms has been strengthened to identify and take action against offenders, the statement added.