Surat: Stones Pelted on Vande Bharat Express with Anandiben Patel on Board
A stone-pelting incident was reported on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 22961) near Surat on Tuesday evening, triggering a security response from railway authorities.
The incident occurred shortly after the train departed from Surat Railway Station, when it was travelling between Utran and Kosad. According to the information provided, stones were thrown at the moving train between approximately 6:30 pm and 6:45 pm.
The impact cracked the glass of standard chair-car coaches C-6 and C-10, causing panic among passengers. No casualties were reported.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was also travelling on the Vande Bharat Express at the time. She was seated in an executive coach and remained unharmed.
Anandiben Patel safe in executive coach
The presence of the Uttar Pradesh Governor on the train prompted railway and security authorities to respond quickly after information about the stone-pelting emerged.
Patel was travelling from Vapi to Ahmedabad aboard the Vande Bharat Express. Her office subsequently posted on X that the Governor had interacted with film and television actor Anang Desai and other passengers during the journey, discussing the film industry and other subjects.
Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful Patel was also present during the interaction, according to the Governor’s office.
Despite the stone-pelting incident, the Governor remained safe throughout.
Glass panes damaged in C-6 and C-10 coaches
The stones were reportedly thrown as the train was passing near Utran Railway Station.
The impact damaged the glass panes of standard chair-car coaches C-6 and C-10.
The sudden sound of stones hitting the train and the cracking of the glass caused panic among passengers. Railway officials and security personnel were alerted soon after the incident.
The fact that a high-profile passenger was travelling on the train also led to an immediate response from railway authorities and security agencies.
However, there were no reports of injuries or casualties among passengers or railway personnel.
RPF detains suspected youth near railway track
Following the incident, personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) moved to the area and launched an investigation.
An RPF team from Ankleshwar reached the location after receiving information about the stone-pelting. A suspicious youth, reportedly around 30 years old, was apprehended from near the railway track.
According to the preliminary information, the detained individual appeared to be in an intoxicated condition at the time of his apprehension.
Authorities are carrying out the formal process of establishing his identity and questioning him in connection with the incident.
Probe underway to establish motive
Investigators are now examining whether the stone-pelting was simply an act carried out by an intoxicated individual or whether there was another motive behind the incident.
The authorities are questioning the detained youth and are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding his presence near the railway tracks.
At this stage, the available information does not establish any larger conspiracy or deliberate motive.
The investigation will determine whether the suspect acted alone and whether he was responsible for throwing the stones that damaged the train’s windows.
Security tightened along Surat-Ahmedabad route
Following the incident, railway authorities have stepped up security and patrolling along the Surat-Ahmedabad railway track, particularly around the location where the stone-pelting occurred.
Security personnel are maintaining increased vigilance in the area to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety of trains operating on the route.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of high-speed trains to objects thrown from outside while passing through populated or accessible areas.
For railway authorities, preventing such incidents requires not only action after an attack but also regular patrolling and surveillance along vulnerable stretches of railway tracks.
Western Railway confirms immediate response
Western Railway PRO Anubhav Saxena said information about stone-pelting on the Vande Bharat Express was received after the train had departed from Surat and was passing near Utran Railway Station.
Following the alert, the RPF was informed immediately.
The inspector from Ankleshwar RPF subsequently reached the location, where a suspicious youth was apprehended.
Saxena said further interrogation of the detained person was underway.
The authorities are expected to establish the exact sequence of events and determine whether the individual detained by the RPF was directly involved in the attack.
No disruption to train journey reported
Despite the damage to the glass panes of two coaches, the incident did not result in any reported casualties.
The train continued its journey towards Ahmedabad after the incident.
The railway administration’s immediate priority was to assess the extent of damage, ensure passenger safety and secure the area from where the stones were allegedly thrown.
With the investigation underway, security agencies are now examining the circumstances behind the incident and the possibility of similar incidents occurring along the route.
Incident raises fresh concerns over train security
The stone-pelting incident has brought renewed attention to the challenge of protecting trains from attacks involving objects thrown from outside.
Vande Bharat trains operate at high speeds, making even relatively small objects potentially dangerous when they strike windows or other parts of a moving train.
In this case, the cracking of glass in two coaches highlights the potential risk to passengers, even though no one was injured.
The presence of a Governor on board also added urgency to the security response, although authorities have not indicated that she was specifically targeted.
