Three Held for Pelting Stones at Udaipur-Surat Vande Bharat Express; Accused Are Migrant Labourers Settled in Surat

Surat: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has apprehended three youths for allegedly pelting stones at the Vande Bharat Express travelling from Udaipur to Surat, damaging three window panes. During preliminary questioning, the accused reportedly told investigators that they threw stones at the train “just for fun.”

The incident occurred on October 19 when the train (26904) was passing between Utran and Surat stations. The stone-pelting damaged two window panes in coach C-6, near seats 40–42 and 60–62, and another pane near the pantry car. No passengers or railway staff were injured.

Following the incident, the Surat RPF post received information from the Mumbai Central Division Control Room at 11.29 pm and dispatched a team led by Inspector Dinesh Yadav, along with Sub-Inspector Amit Kumar and Assistant Sub-Inspector Premsinh Hada.

RPF personnel, in coordination with Head Constable Shivnarayan Singh, who was in charge of the train’s escort party, launched a search operation in the Surat railway yard, along the Tapi riverbank and in the bushes near the tracks. However, the initial search yielded no leads.

Investigators subsequently examined CCTV footage from cameras near the railway tracks and footage from the train. Using the recordings and local intelligence, the RPF identified and apprehended three suspects.

The accused have been identified as Golu Kumar Chaudhary, 22, Sandesh Kumar, 18, and Mantosh Mukhiya, 18. All three hail from Bihar and have reportedly been working as labourers at a factory near the railway tracks for the past two years.

The RPF has initiated further legal proceedings against the accused. DeshGujarat