Rocked by Stone-pelting Incidents, Railways Says about 4 Cases Per Day between 2020 And 2022

With stone-pelting incidents on the Vande Bharat trains under the spotlight, the Railway Ministry said that on average per day four such cases were reported during the three-year period between 2020 and 2022. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, the ministry said that a total of 4,233 incidents of stone-pelting on trains were reported over the Indian Railways during the last three years–2020, 2021, and 2022.

Also, the ministry said that during the same period, Indian Railways suffered a loss of about Rs 262 crore due to damage/destruction to railway property during agitations. In 2020, this loss was Rs 1.78 crore, in 2021 it was Rs 0.68 crore and in 2022 it was highest at Rs 259.44 crore.

The ministry said that it has issued detailed guidelines regarding action to be taken to control incidents of stone-pelting on moving trains.

“Analysis of these incidents followed by substantive action is taken to curb these incidents…Regular drives are conducted against anti-social elements like drunkards, mischievous elements in the affected section/black spots and the apprehended persons are prosecuted under legal provisions of law,” it said.

The ministry also said that the train escorting parties have been sensitised to remain more vigilant in the vulnerable sections/spots, where incidents of vandalism on trains are frequently reported.

Also, various awareness programmes including Operation Sathi are conducted regularly in inhabited areas adjacent to railway tracks to sensitise people towards the menace of stone pelting and its consequences.

In order to safeguard the lives of passengers and damage to Railway Property due to vandalism by miscreants, the authorities collect and share inputs with all intelligence agencies.

“Cyber patrolling and collection of technical intelligence using modern technological tools is being done to collect inputs on these types of activities. Deployment of Police/GRP and RPF personnel at vulnerable places with riot gears and arms and ammunition. Special training for mob control is being imparted to RPF personnel to deal with riots/ unlawful assemblies and to respond to such eventualities effectively,” the ministry said.

The public is being made aware of the consequences arising out of agitation leading to damage and destruction of railway property.