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- Published: January 3, 2023 09:30
New Delhi: Newly launched Howrah-bound Vande Bharat Express got vandalised by stone pelters in West Bengal. The window panes of the train were shattered by some anti-social elements near Malda’s Kumarganj station. The train was flagged off by PM Narendra Modi and this incident has given another reason to BJP to target CM Mamata Banerjee on issues of law and order in the state.
The Vande Bharat Express between Howrah to New Jalpaiguri will improve connectivity and provide greater opportunities for economic growth and tourism. Glad to have flagged off this train. pic.twitter.com/lAlic3CysN
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022
Eastern Railways said that the information on stone pelting on T.N.22302 Vande Bharat Express was received from on-duty T.E. The department added that stones were pelted in coach number C13 after crossing Kumarganj station, due to which the door glass got cracked. The train escort had one ASI along with four staff of RPF POST D-Shed MLDT.
Sharing the pictures and videos of the incident, BJP called Mamata Banerjee a ‘disaster as Chief Minister’ and wrote that under her administration, law and order is under threat. The Twitter handle added that such an incident would not have occurred in any other state, a new train, within two days of launch. BJP State President Dr Sukanata Majumdar and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari tweeted and asked the TMC government that was it done as a reply to the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans at the launch.
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) January 3, 2023
Stone pelted on Vande Bharat train in West Bengal. The train was inaugurated on 30 Dec by Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji.
Is this the reply to Jai Shri Ram, CM @MamataOfficial ?
Shame!
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) January 2, 2023
Unfortunate & sickening.
Stones pelted at India’s pride Vande Bharat Express in WB’s Malda district.
Is this revenge for ‘Jai Shree Ram’ chants on the Inaugural day?
I urge @PMOIndia & @RailMinIndia to handover the probe to @NIA_India & punish the perpetrators.@AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/QYdu3Qgq83— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) January 2, 2023
Stone pelting on Vande Bharat Express while it was crossing Kumarganj of WB.
A shameful incident for all of us. These criminals need an unprecedented punishment so that next time before they try to vandalise or burn trains, they think a 1000 times.@AshwiniVaishnaw@RPF_INDIA pic.twitter.com/Hz2nBXA3rY— Keya Ghosh (@keyakahe) January 2, 2023
Meanwhile, #VandeBharatExpress is trending on Twitter.
#VandeBharat Express departs with passengers on the second day. The door of the Vande Bharat Express was broken by throwing stones in Kumarganj (WB). @AshwiniVaishnaw ji please take strict action against those people who pelted stones on Train. pic.twitter.com/KIaIgxxjMU
— Priyanka Sharma ?? (@Priyankabjym) January 2, 2023
BJP lost Bengal elxn but gave it world class Vande Bharat express.
Mamata got upset due to Jai Shri Ram chants at inauguration, stones pelted at Vande Bharat. pic.twitter.com/I69VrXcGdm
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) January 3, 2023
This #VandeBharatExpress incident didn’t surprise me at all coz I knew this would happen in WB. Those who can burn down a train station, can throw stones ALWAYS. Incidents like these will happen. It’s evident. pic.twitter.com/IsdW6LeHiV
— Bob Biswas ? (@bobbbiswas) January 2, 2023
The stone pelting led to a panic situation for the passengers on board. The identity of the people behind the incident is not known and the Railway authorities are investigating the case.
The train was launched on December 30 in the virtual presence of PM Modi, and this was its first commercial journey.