On Thursday night, the Swatantrata Senani Express, traveling from Jaynagar to New Delhi, was attacked with stones by miscreants near Samastipur Railway Station in Bihar. The incident occurred around 9:50 pm when the train reached the outer signal of the station. Several window panes of the B1 and B2 coaches, as well as the pantry car, were shattered, causing injuries to multiple passengers. The injured were treated at Samastipur itself.
Railway authorities have identified a suspect through CCTV footage and are currently tracing his location. Reports suggest that the person responsible for the stone pelting may be mentally disturbed. Despite the swift action by the loco pilot and the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the train's departure from Samastipur was delayed by 45 minutes. An FIR has been filed against unknown persons.
This attack comes amid a series of sabotage attempts on trains across the country. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has assured that strict action will be taken against those involved. Notably, this incident marks the second attack on the Swatantrata Senani Express within ten days, following an earlier incident where the train's engine was damaged after colliding with a wooden block placed on the tracks in Uttar Pradesh.