Man Held for Stone-Pelting on Vande Bharat Express; UP Governor Aboard, Safe
A man was detained on Tuesday evening for allegedly throwing stones at the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express near Surat, Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was on board the train at the time. No injuries were reported, officials said.
The man was apprehended shortly after the incident by a Railway Protection Force (RPF) foot patrol unit, according to Abhay Soni, Superintendent of Police (Western Railway) for the Vadodara division. Soni said stones were found in the man's bag. During initial questioning, the man told RPF personnel that he was throwing stones at a dog. He is also suspected of having thrown stones at a goods train that passed earlier on the same route.
The official described the man as appearing to be "slightly mentally unstable" and said there was no indication of any deliberate or conspiratorial attempt behind the incident. The stones did not hit the coach in which Governor Patel was travelling, and only a minor scratch was found on the glass of a different coach, Soni added.
Governor Patel had boarded the Vande Bharat Express at Vapi station after attending an event organised by the Union Territory administration in Daman. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Utran police station in Surat district.
The Vande Bharat Express is India's flagship semi-high-speed train, operating on multiple routes across the country. Incidents of stone-pelting on moving trains have been reported in various regions, prompting railway authorities to emphasise passenger safety and urge the public to avoid such acts, which can endanger lives and damage property.
Further legal action is being taken by the Utran police and railway authorities, according to Soni. Authorities have not named the detained man, and investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
