Kolkata, Jan 03: Stones had been pelted at Vande Bharat Express in West Bengal’s Malda district on Monday. The incident comes just two days after the launch of the train in the state.
The incident occurred near Samsi Kumarganj of Kathia Division of the Indian Railways. The impact caused a crack in the glass shield on the door all passengers are reported to be safe. According to sources, Railways has begun an internal probe into the matter.
BJP leader and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari termed the incident “unfortunate and sickening.” He additionally requested if it was revenge for ‘Jai Shree Ram’ chants on an inaugural day. Further, he urged the Prime Minister’s Office to hand over the probe to National Investigation Agency (NIA) and demanded punishment for the perpetrators.
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Bengal’s first Vande Bharat Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express on Friday, hours after he lost his mother Heeraben. This is the first Vande Bharat Express in West Bengal as well as eastern India. Also, present on the occasion were Governor C V Ananda Bose and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
This is one of the 475 Vande Bharat Express trains that the government is aiming to start on the occasion of 75 years of Independence.
The train, which covers a distance of 564 km in 7.45 hours, will save three hours of travel time compared to other trains on the route, officials said. It will have three stoppages at Barsoi, Malda, and Bolpur.
Speaking at the launch, PM said, “Today’s Vande Bharat train was launched from the land where the ‘Vande Mataram’ slogan was coined.”
The Prime Minister added, “The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolor in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943.”
