KARNATAKA: An incident of stone pelting on the Mysuru-Chennai Vande Bharat Express train has been reported in Karnataka in which two windows of a coach of the high-speed train were damaged, South Western Railway said in a statement.
The incident was reported to have taken place between Krishnarajapuram – Bengaluru Cantonment Railway Stations on Saturday.
“No person was injured, added the officials.
Highlighting the frequent incident of stone pelting in the South Western Railway division, officials said, “Frequent incidents of pelting stones on trains are being reported. Railway Protection Force (RPF) has registered 21 stone pelting cases in January 2023 and 13 cases in February 2023, over the Bengaluru Division of South Western Railway.”
“The cases have been registered based on the incidents that have been reported in Lottegollahalli – Kodigehalli, Bayyappanahalli – Channasandra, Channasandra-Yelahanka, Chikkabanawar – Yeswantpur sections and also near Krishnarajapuram, Baiyyappanahalli, Tumakuru, Banaswadi, Carmelaram and Bengaluru Cantonment areas,” officials said in the statement.
The statement also mentioned the damage caused by pelting stones to both public property and passengers.
“The pelting of stones into trains results in damage to public property. It causes injury to passengers on the train which will sometime be fatal also,” it said.
“Pelting stones on trains is a non-bailable offence. As per Section 152 of the Railways Act, if any person throws a stone at a train and such act is likely to endanger the safety of passengers on the train, he shall be punishable with life imprisonment or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years,” said officials.
“Apart from stepping up vigil, awareness drives are being organized by RPF at the locations of such incidents as well as in neighbouring areas covering schools, villages etc. so that the miscreants desist from acts which endanger the safety of train operations. The railway is also sensitizing the public in this regard through announcements and the display of messages in CCTVs in Stations, Waiting Halls and other Railway areas of public contact,” they added.
The railways asked the passengers to inform them about such incidents to Railway through a toll-free number.
“Railways appeal to the general public and passengers to inform on the toll-free helpline number (139) if they come across incidents of stone pelting,” officials added. (ANI)