BHUBANESWAR: Unidentified miscreants pelted stones on Vande Bharat Express enroute to Bhubaneswar from Rourkela on Sunday evening, damaging the windowpane of an executive class coach. East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources said, the semi-high-speed train was targeted between Meramandali and Budhapank under Dhenkanal-Angul railway section prompting an immediate response from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP).
Although the stones didn’t cause harm to anyone, passengers in the executive class coach were scared following the incident. A team of RPF inspected the coach and registered a case against unidentified suspects.
A railway spokesperson said the incident was reported by on-duty RPF escorting staff, and the security wing of ECoR has taken it seriously. “RPF’s assistant security commissioner from Cuttack has rushed to the spot. Local police have also been informed about the matter. Strict action will be taken against the stone-pelters. Both the security wing of ECoR in coordination with local police are in job to trace-out the culprits,” he said.
This is not the first time that the Vande Bharat Express train has been attacked in the country. Similar incidents have occurred in other railway zones earlier. However, no passengers have been harmed in any of the incidents so far.
In order to safeguard the lives of passengers and damage to railway property due to vandalism by miscreants, the ECoR has launched various awareness programmes including ‘Operation Saathi’ in inhabited areas adjacent to railway tracks to sensitise people on the menace of stone pelting and its consequences.
Regular drives are also being conducted against anti-social elements in the affected section/black spots. People have been urged to inform the railway officials about such incidents through helpline number 139, the spokesperson added.The newly-launched Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September.