Ticketless Passenger Smokes In Vande Bharat Express Toilet : Train Halted Abruptly
A startling incident unfolded on the Tirupati–Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 20702, when an unauthorized passenger was discovered smoking clandestinely within a restroom, triggering a false fire alarm and leading to an abrupt halt. This perplexing occurrence transpired in coach C – 13, after the train had passed Gudur in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, according to railway officials.
The act of smoking set off an automatic response from an aerosol fire extinguisher positioned within the restroom. The extinguisher discharged a cloud of powder-like substance designed to quell fires. The unexpected release of the powder induced panic among passengers, prompting them to alert the train guard via an emergency phone link within the coach. Consequently, the train came to a standstill at Manubolu, around 5 pm.
In a press release from the Vijayawada Division of the South Central Railway (SCR) Zone, an official stated, “An unauthorized passenger boarded the train from Tirupati and locked himself in the toilet of C-13 coach. The passenger smoked inside the toilet which resulted in automatic activation of aerosol fire extinguisher present inside the toilet.”
Mistaking the false alarm for a genuine fire emergency, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) swiftly responded, arriving at the coach with a fire extinguisher. They proceeded to break the window of the restroom and safely removed the individual who had been smoking. Subsequently, the local police detained the offender at Nellore for necessary legal action under the Railway Act. The train later resumed its journey.
The Vande Bharat Express trains have unfortunately been subject to a series of unruly incidents, both from passengers and external sources. In an additional incident, stones were hurled at a Vande Bharat Express train running between Gorakhpur and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki region, further highlighting the challenges faced by these modern train services.
