Stones Pelted at Bhusaval-Nandurbar Passenger Train [Jalgaon, Maharashtra]

(Reported as seen)

In a troubling incident on Friday, the Bhusaval-Nandurbar passenger train was attacked by unidentified miscreants who pelted stones at it in the Jalgaon region of Maharashtra. The incident, which occurred on July 12th at 10 am, was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread concern and outrage.

According to reports, a large crowd, including women wearing Islamic headcovers, was seen near the railroad tracks as stones were hurled at the moving train. The footage shows passengers in a state of panic, with some stones falling inside the coaches. A woman speaking in Marathi can be heard urging passengers to lock the windows for safety, while others attempted to get off the train amid terrifying screams.

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has filed a case against the unknown assailants under Railway Act 154, based on the viral video evidence. The Divisional Railway Manager confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Amalner, and additional legal actions are being taken by the GRP.

Vineet Abhishek, the chief public relations officer for Western Railway, mentioned that many passengers had boarded the train early on Friday to attend a religious ceremony in Bhortek. Despite the presence of RPF personnel on the train, no injuries have been reported, and no written complaints from commuters have been filed thus far.

Senior police officials from the Marwad police station, which has jurisdiction over the incident area, have not yet formally acknowledged the stone-pelting incident. However, they are conducting their own investigation.

This event is part of a concerning trend of stone-pelting attacks on trains in the region. In April 2024, a similar incident occurred with a MEMU train from Gwalior to Jaura at Gwalior’s Birla Nagar station. Other notable incidents include attacks on the Vande Bharat Express, Shatabdi Express, and the “Aastha Special” train carrying Hindu devotees to Ayodhya in February 2024.

The authorities are now focused on ensuring passenger safety and preventing such occurrences in the future. The RPF and GRP are expected to conduct a thorough investigation and provide a detailed report on the incident, with the Railway Police instructed to exercise extra caution to protect commuters.

This incident has highlighted the need for enhanced security measures on trains and at railway stations to ensure the safety of passengers and maintain public order.