Stone pelting was reported on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express train in the West Bengal District of Malda on Saturday morning, January 17. The incident has sparked concern and prompted law enforcement agencies, including the Railway Protection Force (RPF), to increase security ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's launch event in Malda.
A video from the inside of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train surfaced on social media shows a huge crack on the windscreen of the train. Chaos erupted inside the train compartment where a child got scared after a stone struck the glass of the train.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) has written to the police to Malda Kaliachak Police Station over the incident. The letter states that stones may be pelted at the new Vande Bharat train after it leaves Malda, Jamirghata, Khalatipur, Chamagram, Sankopara, New Farakka, Ballalpur, Dhulian, Basudebpur and Tildanga.
The RPF has asked the Kaliachak police station to keep a sufficient number of police officers near the train station premises in Malda. The RPF letter also mentions that the Prime Minister may be shown a black flag.
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The letter states that some antisocial elements in Malda are trying to throw stone on the first Sleeper Vande Bharat Express train as soon as it leaves Malda, Jamirghata, Khaltipur, Chamagram, Sankopara, and New Farakka. Ballalpur, Dhuliyan, Basudebpur, and Tildanga. and a black flag against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Howrah–Guwahati Vande Bharat Sleeper Train. The inauguration will take place at Malda Town Station. The train will operate between Howrah and Kamakhya.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper will run six days a week in both directions. The up service from Howrah will depart at 6:20 pm, while the down service from Kamakhya will depart at 6:15 pm.
India’s first Vande Bharat train was launched in February 2019. Nearly six years later, the Howrah–Kamakhya route is set to get its first Vande Bharat Sleeper service.