Fight Among Monkey Over Banana Delays Trains In Bihar's Samastipur

The monkeys were fighting over a banana near platform number 4 at the Samastipur Junction railway station when one threw a rubber-like object at the other.

A fight between two monkeys at the Samastipur Junction railway station in Bihar has disrupted the operations of a train for almost an hour. As per the report by NDTV, the monkeys were fighting over a banana near platform number 4 when one threw a rubber-like object at the other. The object hit an overhead wire, causing a short circuit. The wire snapped and fell onto the bogie of a train, bringing trains to a halt.

The railway station's electrical department began repairs of the wire. Nevertheless, the Bihar Sampark Kranti on platform number 4 got delayed by about 15 minutes. Other trains were also affected, inconveniencing passengers. 

Meanwhile, after the incident, the monkeys fled toward Barauni railway station. This episode highlights the ongoing issue of monkey-related disruptions at Samastipur station. Previously, passengers have been injured by monkeys, leading to their capture by the forest department.

India's First Vande Bharat Train Delayed Due To Quality Concerns

In a separate incident, on Friday (December 6), the first Vande Bharat sleeper train in India, developed by Bengaluru-based BEML Limited and scheduled to be operational by December 2024, was delayed due to quality concerns highlighted by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

Sources for the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) revealed to Moneycontrol that most quality issues in the Vande Bharat sleeper train prototype were related to its interiors. These included visible gaps in interior panels, malfunctioning side lower berths, substandard cushions, toilet leaks, and inaccessible passenger alarms.

“BEML hastily completed the train's interior works without conducting proper quality checks which resulted in poor workmanship. While Vande Bharat sleeper service was supposed to start operations in December 2024, the prototype is yet to undergo its main line trials.” a source told Moneycontrol. Currently, Vande Bharat trains equipped with chair cars are operating on medium-distance routes.