BHUBANESWAR: Panic gripped the passengers of Anand Vihar-Puri Nandankanan Express after shots were suspected to have been fired at the moving train in Bhadrak district on Tuesday.
The incident took place at around 9.30 am between Bhadrak and Baudpur stations when the train was enroute to Puri. Though no one was injured, a window pane of the guard brake van suffered damage.
An eyewitness among the railway staff reported hearing a loud noise and initially mistook it for pelting of stone by some miscreants. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the shattered window, sparking concerns it may have been the result of a gunshot or other projectile aimed at the train.
“I heard a loud sound and something hitting the coach when the signal was being changed at the traffic gate after the train moved past the south cabin of Bhadrak station. I thought it could be due to pelting of stones. But when I came closer to the door, I saw a person with a pistol like object and smoke emanating from it,” a railway staff Mahendra Behera told mediapersons.
The train was checked by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and cleared to move towards its destination. Bhadrak police and Government Railway Police (GRP) began a joint investigation. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has also asked the local RPF to probe the incident.
“The guard of the 12816 Anand Vihar-Puri Express reported an incident that the window of the guard van was hit with something piercing through it. No one is hurt. RPF staff secured the train and escorted the train upto Puri. The incident is now under investigation,” ECoR said in a statement.
Twelve hours after the incident, there was no clarity on what actually happened. According to preliminary reports, the projectile caused damage to the window glass only and there was no remnant of any stone or bullet inside the brake van.
In-charge of Puri GRP station SK Bahinipati said four teams, including the GRP, RPF and local police are investigating into the incident with the help of a scientific team. “The protection force escorted the train till Puri in view of the safety of the passengers after the incident,” he said.