BHUBANESWAR: The railway protection force (RPF) on Tuesday arrested two persons for allegedly throwing stones at Vande Bharat Express between Meramandali and Budhapank railway stations in Angul-Dhenkanal section of East Coast Railway (ECoR).
The duo, Bijay Kumar Lenka (42) and Santosh Kumar Maharana (30), confessed to have pelted stones at Rourkela-Puri Vande Bharat Express after consuming alcohol for fun. They were produced before the judicial magistrate first class at Dhenkanal and remanded in judicial custody after their bail plea was rejected.
A windowpane of the executive chair car coach was damaged after the duo reportedly pelted stones at the semi high-speed train on its way towards Bhubaneswar on Sunday night. Passengers were scared as the stones hit the glass window closer to their seats.
The RPF officials of Talcher and a team from crime investigation branch (CIB) of RPF at Khurda Road jointly conducted an ambush check to nab the miscreants. During such a raid and ambush, they caught two outsiders from the spot while roaming at about 5.30 pm.
An official of ECoR said the team confronted them about their purpose to come to such an isolated place by the side of the railway track. Lenka and Maharana admitted to have come to the spot after consuming alcohol and pelted stones on the train for fun. They were booked under sections 153, 145(C) and 147 of Railway Act, he said. Meanwhile, ECoR has asked the RPF and GRP to remain alert and step up surveillance.