Stones pelted at Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Two windowpanes of Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express (20607) were damaged after stones were pelted on the train between Krishnarajapuram and Bengaluru Cantonment railway stations at around 10.30 am on Saturday. No one was injured in the incident. According to officials of the South Western Railways, the incident happened at around 10.30am and a window each in C4 and C5 coaches of the premium train were damaged. 

“Since no one was injured and the glasses did not break completely, the train service did not stop. It is, however, a dent on the image of the train. Passengers did not sustain any injury because of the double glass windows and the vacuum in the middle,” said an official.

This is not the first instance of stone pelting at Vande Bharat trains. Stones were pelted on the same train between Bangarpet and Krishnarajapuram stations in the past. Stones were also hurled at Vande Bharat Express between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad.

“Despite repeated awareness drives and stern warnings, miscreants continue to damage trains which are public properties.  No arrests have been made so far as damaging public properties, including moving trains, is a non- bailable offence under Section 5 of the Railways Act,” the official said.  

The SWR has registered cases against miscreants based on the incidents that have been reported in Lottegollahalli – Kodigehalli, Baiyappanahalli – Channasandra,  hannasandra- Yelahanka, Chikkabanavara – Yesvantpur sections and also near  Krishnarajapuram, Baiyappanahalli, Tumakuru, Banaswadi, Carmelaram and Bengaluru Cantonment sections. 

“Stone pelting not only damages the trains, but also causes injuries to citizens. It is difficult to trace the stone pelters. We have identified areas where such incidents are common,” a railway official said.