Stone pelting on Vande Bharat train ahead of launch sparks concern

Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train from Malda Town station , the prestigious service was targeted in a stone pelting incident, raising serious questions about public responsibility and civic sense.

Railway officials said stones were thrown at the newly introduced sleeper rake while it was stationed at Malda Town station early Saturday morning. Though no passengers or staff were injured, window panes were damaged. The Railway Protection Force had issued a prior alert about possible stone throwing and protests in the area.

The train was scheduled for launch the same day as part of a major push towards modernising Indian Railways and improving connectivity between eastern India and the Northeast. The attack on a national infrastructure project just hours before its inauguration has been viewed by officials as a disturbing reflection of declining civic sense.

Despite the incident, the Prime Minister went ahead with the flag off of the Howrah to Guwahati Kamakhya Vande Bharat sleeper train amid tight security arrangements. He also interacted with students, railway staff and train drivers present for the inaugural run.

The incident also exposes a harsh truth. While people demand better infrastructure and modern facilities, public assets are often damaged by the same citizens. Stone pelting and vandalism show a lack of civic sense, and progress cannot last when responsibility is missing.

Senior railway officials said such acts not only damage costly public property but also endanger lives and undermine years of planning and public investment. They noted that Vande Bharat trains symbolise technological progress and national pride, and repeated vandalism reflects a troubling disregard for shared national achievements.

This is not the first such incident. Since the rollout of Vande Bharat services across the country, several trains have been targeted by stone pelting, prompting repeated appeals from the railways for public cooperation and stronger local vigilance.

Alongside the train launch, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for multiple rail and road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 3,250 crore in West Bengal . Development works are also underway at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station to upgrade it into a world class facility.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the new services as a gift to the state, stating that improved connectivity would help economic growth and employment generation. However, officials stressed that infrastructure alone cannot ensure progress unless matched by civic responsibility.

Investigations into the stone pelting incident are underway, with security further tightened at sensitive stations and along vulnerable sections of the route.