Stones pelted at Vande Bharat Express in Bengal's Malda; BJP asks is this revenge for 'Jai Shree Ram' chants

New Delhi, Jan 03: Just a few days after its inaugural run, the newly launched Howrah-bound Vande Bharat Express was pelted with stones in West Bengal's Malda district. However, no injuries were reported in the incident that took place near Kumarganj railway station, around 50 km from Malda town, on Monday evening, a Railway official said.

The glass door of coach number C13 of 22303 Vande Bharat Express was damaged in the incident, he said, as reported by PTI. Kumarganj falls under the jurisdiction of the Katihar division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The train was not stopped mid-way after the incident took place at 5.10 pm on Monday and it halted at its designated stoppage at Malda Town railway station, the official said.

Malda Town railway station Government Railway Police (GRP) IC Prashant Rai said that Railway Protection Force (RPF) is investigating the matter. The train was flagged-off virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Howrah station on December 30.

Mamata Banerjee 'disaster as Chief Minister'

Sharing the pictures and videos of the incident, BJP called Mamata Banerjee a 'disaster as Chief Minister' and wrote that under her administration, law and order is under threat. The Twitter handle added that such an incident would not have occurred in any other state, a new train, within two days of launch. BJP State President Dr Sukanata Majumdar and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari tweeted and asked the TMC government that was it done as a reply to the 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans at the launch.

Vande Bharat attacked in Malda. Mamata Banerjee is a disaster as Chief Minister. Under her administration, law and order is the biggest casualty. It is unthinkable that in any other state, a new train, which is a lifeline, gets attacked like this, within two days of launch. pic.twitter.com/qZZWTrwYva

— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) January 3, 2023

The incident has prompted the BJP to demand an NIA investigation into the incident. Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari wondered whether the incident was ''revenge'' for the raising of 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans at the inaugural function in Howrah station.

''Unfortunate & sickening. Stones pelted at India's pride Vande Bharat Express in WB's Malda district. Is this revenge for 'Jai Shree Ram' chants on the Inaugural day? I urge @PMOIndia & @RailMinIndia to handover the probe to @NIA_India & punish the perpetrators. @AshwiniVaishnaw,'' he tweeted.

Unfortunate & sickening.
Stones pelted at India's pride Vande Bharat Express in WB's Malda district.
Is this revenge for 'Jai Shree Ram' chants on the Inaugural day?
I urge @PMOIndia & @RailMinIndia to handover the probe to @NIA_India & punish the perpetrators.@AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/QYdu3Qgq83

— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) January 2, 2023

BJP workers had raised 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans at the inauguration programme, as a result of which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the dais from where the train was flagged off.

Attempts by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Governor C V Ananda Bose to pacify her did not bear fruit, as she chose to sit on a chair below the dais along with the audience.

The incident had created a major controversy, with the Trinamool Congress taking exception to the raising of ''political slogans'' at a government programme, made more solemn by the death of the mother of the prime minister, while the BJP tried to downplay the incident, with Vaishnaw saying that nothing had occurred to cause any angst as party workers often raise slogans.