Glass windows in six coaches of the Chennai – Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express Train suffered damage, as unidentified culprits pelted stones at the speeding train on Sunday (February 4, 2024) night.
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The recently-introduced Vande Bharat Express Train was running between Gangaikondan and Naraikinaru stations around 10 p.m. on Sunday, after leaving Chennai Egmore Station at 2.50 p.m., when miscreants pelted stones at it. Though no passenger was injured in the stone pelting, the incident triggered panic among the travellers.
“As the train reached Tirunelveli Railway Junction at 10.40 p.m., the quantum of damage was inspected by the technicians. Since the hardened glass windows had suffered minimal damage, the technicians opined that they could be replaced when the entire train undergoes its weekly check-up on Tuesday (February 6). Hence, temporary repairs were immediately carried out to ensure the operation of the train again to Chennai at 6 a.m. on Monday (February 5),” sources at the Tirunelveli railway junction said.
Based on a complaint filed at the Tirunelveli railway junction, the Government Railway Police (GRP) alerted Vanchimaniyaachi and Gangaikondan Stations and the GRP, Thoothukudi. However, as of noon on Monday, the police had not ascertained the identity of the miscreants.
“We suspect that the miscreants might have carried out the attack under the influence of alcohol or ganja. We are collecting CCTV footage from several places where the attack was carried out,” said a Government Railway Police officer.