For the second time in two days, windows of the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express were damaged due to stone pelting on Tuesday. The window panes of coach C3 and C6 of the train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, were found broken, ANI reported quoting the RPF.
The windows were damaged near Phansidewa area in Darjeeling district when train was moving towards New Jalpaiguri, the RPF said in a statement.
"On January 3, at about 5.57 pm , train no.22302 DN (Vande Bharat exp) arrived at MLDT. On checking, stone pelting marks were found on the glass surface of coach no. C-3 and C-6. On enquiry, it came to be known that in the morning around 13.20 hrs, while the said train was going in up direction towards NJP, before arriving in NJP in yard area, the stone pelting incident happened in both C-3 and C-6 coach. As a result, a case had been registerd by samsi post u/s- 154 of Rly act," stated the RPF release.
On Monday, the Vande Bharat Express was pelted with stones in West Bengal's Malda district. No injuries were reported in the incident that took place near Kumarganj railway station.
The glass door of coach number C13 was damaged in the incident.
A war of words erupted between BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state following the incident. BJP demanded an NIA investigation into the incident, while the Trinamool Congress hinted at a "conspiracy to defame the state".
"It is shameful that Vande Bharat express is being attacked or ransacked in no other state. The state government will do nothing against the perpetrators to secure its vote bank," said West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari wondered whether the incident was "revenge" for the raising of 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans at the inaugural function in Howrah station that was attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Unfortunate & sickening. Stones pelted at India's pride Vande Bharat Express in WB's Malda district. Is this revenge for 'Jai Shree Ram' chants on the Inaugural day? I urge @PMOIndia & @RailMinIndia to handover the probe to @NIA_India & punish the perpetrators. @AshwiniVaishnaw," he tweeted.
BJP workers had raised 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans during the Vande Bharat Express inauguration programme following which Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the dais from where the train was flagged off.
Reacting to BJP's allegations, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said it was a "conspiracy" to defame the state government.
"We don't know who is involved in it. The police and railway officials are looking into it. We suspect that the BJP is trying to politicise the issue," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)