Maligaon, January 4 (MExN): A few incidents of pelting stones at the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express have been reported recently in Malda and New Jalpaiguri area. The incident triggered panic among passengers onboard. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel are working jointly keeping a vigil in such areas.
Pelting stones or similar objects on trains is a criminal offence under sections 152, 153 & 154 prescribed in Railway Act. Any person, if intentionally or unintentionally throws any object into or upon any rolling stock forming part of a train that may endanger the safety of any passenger onboard and obstruct any rolling stock; the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend upto ten years.
Apart from stepping up vigil, awareness drives are also being organized by RPF at the locations of such incidents as well as in neighbouring areas covering schools, villages etc. so that the miscreants desist from acts which endanger safety of train operations.
NF Railway has appealed to the general public and passengers to inform on the toll-free helpline number (139) if they come across incidents such as trespassing and stone pelting. Railway property is public property and protection of public property is everybody’s responsibility.
This was stated in a press release issued by Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer, NFR.
