The Lucknow-Patna Vande Bharat Express was targeted by stone-pelters in Varanasi on Thursday, causing damage to a window in one of the train’s coaches. Fortunately, no passengers were reported injured in the incident.
The attack occurred as the train was departing from Varanasi, with the C5 coach suffering the brunt of the damage. The railway authorities have launched an investigation into the stone-pelting incident.
The 22345/22346 Patna-Gomti Nagar (Lucknow) Vande Bharat Express, India’s 51st Vande Bharat train, links Patna with Lucknow. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing from Ahmedabad on March 12, 2024.
The semi-high-speed train operates six days a week, covering a distance of 545 km in 8 hours and 25 minutes, with an average speed of 65 km/h. Its Maximum Permissible Speed (MPS) is 130 km/h.
Stone-pelting at trains is considered a criminal offense under sections 153 and 154 of the Railway Act, which address endangering the safety of passengers through willful or negligent acts.
