Window panes of Vande Bharat Express train damaged in stone pelting in Bengaluru

The train was coming from Chennai, and the incident happened between Krishnarajapuram and Bengaluru Cantonment

Two window panes of the premium Vande Bharat Express (20607) were damaged after stones were pelted stones at the moving train. The incident occurred between Krishnarajapuram and Bengaluru Cantonment Railway Station. No passengers were injured.

Railway official said the train was coming from Chennai and the incident happened around 10.30 a.m. on Saturday.

In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched South India’s first-ever Vande Bharat train service between Chennai and Mysuru via Bengaluru.

This is not the first instance of stone pelting at Vande Bharat trains. Recently, such cases were reported in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Katihar district of Bihar and others.

A South Western Railway press release said incidents of pelting stones at trains are being frequently reported in the Bengaluru division. This year, 21 cases were reported in January and 13 in February. Cases were reported between Lottegollahalli and Kodigehalli, Baiyappanahalli and Channasandra, Channasandra and Yelahanka, Chikkabanavara and Yesvantpur sections and also near Krishnarajapuram, Baiyyappanahalli, Tumakuru, Banaswadi, Carmelaram and Bengaluru Cantonment areas.

“Pelting stones at trains is a non-bailable offence. As per Section 152 of the Railways Act, if any person throws stones at a train and such an act is likely to endanger the safety of passengers on the train, he shall be punishable with life imprisonment or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years,” states the release.

The SWR has appealed to the public and passengers to inform them about stone pelting incidents by contacting the toll-free helpline number 139.