NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, DEC 16
Four boys aged 16, 17 and 18 were arrested by the Vriddhachalam Railway Protection Force of the Tiruchchirappalli Division following a stone-pelting incident on Train No. 26605 Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express.
The incident was reported after the train crossed the Manimutharu River bridge near the Salem Road overbridge at Manalur village, between Vriddhachalam and Talanallur railway stations. Preliminary inquiry revealed that a group of boys walking alongside the railway track hurled stones at the moving train.
- Chennai–Tirunelveli Vande Bharat targeted near Vriddhachalam
- Window panes damaged, no injuries reported to passengers
- Railways warn of strict action, launch awareness drives
The attack caused damage to the outer layer of glass windows in coaches C5, C6, C7, E2, C17 and C18. Railway officials clarified that the windows are made of double-sealed toughened glass, with two 6 mm layers and a 14 mm gap filled with argon–krypton gas, and that the damage was confined only to the outer layer.
An immediate inspection of the coaches and passengers was conducted at Tiruchchirappalli Railway Station, during which officials confirmed that no passenger was injured in the incident.
Following the incident, the RPF traced the culprits in nearby villages and apprehended the boys. All four have been sent to a juvenile home.
The Railways issued a stern warning to residents of villages located near railway lines, stating that unlawful acts such as stone pelting, which endanger passenger safety and damage railway property, will be dealt with strictly. Parents have been urged to counsel their children and prevent them from engaging in such dangerous activities.
Stone pelting on trains is a criminal offence under Sections 153 and 154 of the Railway Act, 1989. While Section 153 provides for imprisonment up to five years for acts endangering passenger safety or obstructing rolling stock, Section 154 prescribes punishment of up to one year of imprisonment, or fine, or both, for rash or negligent acts that threaten railway safety.
In addition to stepping up surveillance, the RPF has launched awareness programmes in vulnerable locations, including schools and villages, to deter miscreants from indulging in acts that compromise safe train operations. Southern Railway has appealed to the public to report incidents such as trespassing and stone pelting through the toll-free helpline number 139, reiterating that railway property is public property and its protection is a shared responsibility.
