On February 10, India’s most advanced, the Vande Bharat Express train, running between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam, came under attack in the Mahabubabad district in Telangana.
According to reports, some unidentified miscreants pelted stones at a coach of the Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat while it was passing through Mahabubabad district.
The Railway Police is investigating the incident, the train’s mirrors were damaged in the stone pelting.
“Alerted to the attack, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and local police rushed to the spot and started an investigation. Special teams have been deputed to nab the suspects”, the police said.
“We are investigating all angles regarding the same. The train and the condition of the pane will be assessed by the Railway Police officers once the train reaches Vizag,” Rakesh, CPRO of South Central Railway, said.
Notably, PM Modi on January 15 virtually flagged off the Vande Bharat train service between Secunderabad in Telangana on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
This is not the first time that a Vande Bharat train was attacked. Last month, stones were pelted by miscreants on New Jalpaiguri-Howarh Vande Bharat Express.
Stones were pelted at the Vande Bharat Express, which was going to New Jalpaiguri towards Howrah. Initially, the stone fell on India’s C-13 coach of the Vande Bharat Express near Kumarganj station at around 5:10 pm, according to the reports. Because of that, the glass of the door of the compartment was broken.
Following the attack, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Railways are definitely going to make sure that every train is secure. I want to say that if anybody attempts this kind of thing, we will go after them and will make sure that they are arrested and taken to law.”
It is to be noted that, on February 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two Vande Bharat trains in Mumbai, saying that they exemplify the speed and scale of India’s progress.
Prime Minister Modi flagged off the Mumbai-Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express and Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express on February 10, taking the total number of such trains in the country to 10.
Speaking on occasion, he said these trains would benefit students and office-goers while also facilitating devotees and farmers.
PM Modi said the MPs now demand the Vande Bharat trains in their cities.
“Earlier there was a time when the MPs would write to us, requesting us to add halts of express trains in their constituencies. But now, when the MPs visit me, they ask me to ensure that Vande Bharat trains connect their cities or constituencies. Such is the craze for Vande Bharat trains today,” he said. The new and upgraded version of Vande Bharat Express will run between Mumbai and Solapur and Mumbai and Sainagar Shirdi.
The Vande Bharat Train is an indigenously manufactured, Semi-High Speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing railway passengers with a much faster, more comfortable, and more convenient travel experience.
