A Vande Bharat Express train was pelted with stones in Agra on Wednesday. While no injury was reported, the incident broke the glass window of a coach. The train was running from Bhopal to Delhi's Nizamuddin station and the incident happened between the Mania and Jajau stations of the Agra Railway Division, according to a PTI report. While no passengers were injured, the window glass of seat number 13-14 of C-7 coach was broken. Soon after receiving the information, a railway team reached the spot.
PRO of Agra Railway Division Prashasti Srivastava told the news agency that an investigation is underway in the matter.
However, this is not an isolated incident, stones have been pelted at the Vande Bharat Superfast Express train running between Bhopal and Delhi earlier as well. Earlier this month, the newly launched Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express witnessed a stone pelting incident near Sohawal station.
Previously on July 5, miscreants had pelted stones at the newly launched Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express in Karnataka.
On Wednesday, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Indian Railways have incurred a loss of Rs 55.60 lakh over the last five years due to damage caused by stone pelting on Vande Bharat trains.
"Some incidents of stone pelting incidents have been reported on Vande Bharat trains. During the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 (up to June), Indian Railways suffered losses of Rs 55.60 lakh due to damage caused to Vande Bharat trains in the incidents of stone pelting," the railway minister told the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon session of parliament.
He further informed that to safeguard the lives of passengers and damage to the railway property against vandalism, the Railway Police Force, in coordination with GRP/District police and civil administration is conducting ‘Operation Sathi’ to sensitise people living adjacent to railway tracks against stone pelting and its consequences.