Vande Bharat Express Damaged Again : Miscreants Pelt Stones in Kerala

PUNE: A disturbing incident of stone pelting has surfaced in Kerala, with unidentified miscreants targeting and damaging a window of the moving Vande Bharat Express. This incident closely follows similar stone pelting occurrences on two trains in the northern Kannur district merely three days prior. The distressing attack on the Vande Bharat Express, en route from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, has raised significant concerns regarding the security and safety of rail travel.

Railway authorities revealed that the unsettling event unfolded near Vatakara between 4 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. The C-8 coach sustained window damage during the attack; however, mercifully, no injuries were reported. Officials clarified that the window glass was shattered from the exterior. Visuals broadcasted on television channels depicted the windowpane in a severely impaired state, hastily secured with external tape.

The Sunday evening incident saw stone pelting targeting both the Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast Express and Netravati Express as they traversed a stretch between Kannur South and Valapattanam in the district. Officials confirmed that the windowpanes of the AC coaches on both trains were impacted. Notably, prior stone pelting instances also targeted the Vande Bharat Express following its inauguration in Kerala by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April earlier this year.

Madhupriya Dhanwate