Unknown miscreants threw stones at the Bhusaval-Nandurbar passenger train on Friday, causing tensions in the Jalgaon region of Maharashtra. According to reports, the passengers were thrown into a frenzy when the mob assembled near the railroad tracks and began tossing stones at the train. Afterwards, the Government Railway Police (GRP) submitted a charge of jeopardizing the safety of passengers against anonymous individuals based on a video that went viral showing the stone-pelting on 12th July at 10 am. The video went viral on social media, bringing attention to the incident.
A huge crowd including women wearing Islamic headcovers was seen outside the train in the widely shared social media footage, and some of the passengers in the general coach were seen freaking out as some stones fell inside. The train was still moving as a woman speaking in Marathi urged everyone to lock the windows as a precaution. Fearful passengers were also observed trying to get off the train and their terrifying screams can also be heard.
BIG: A mob of Burqa-clad women & skull-capped men heavily pelted stones at the train full with Hindu devotees on “Friday” 🤲 in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon
— Ashwini Shrivastava (@AshwiniSahaya) July 13, 2024
According to reports, hundreds of Hindu devotees gathered for the Jatra / Urus celebration at a hill in Dhar, Amalner taluka.… pic.twitter.com/6E14nQenuA
“RPF (Railway Protection Force) in charge of Amalner initiated an inquiry by registering a case against unknown persons under Railway Act 154. Amalner GRP has also been informed about the incident for necessary legal action.” informed the Divisional Railway Manager. Western Railway’s chief public relations officer, Vineet Abhishek, stated that a significant number of passengers left Bhusawal early on Friday morning to attend a religious ceremony in Bhortek. There were also RPF personnel on the train.
The RPF lodged a complaint against the anonymous people after the widely shared video showed stone throwing on the same train. The officer added that no commuter had filed a written complaint about the problem and there had been no reports of injuries along the route. As of right now, the six RPF officers on the train have not disclosed any information regarding the occurrence. The RPF will carry out a thorough investigation and provide a detailed report. The Railway Police have also been instructed to use extra caution to ensure the safety of the passengers.
Locals and travellers both are frustrated by the daily commuter train’s constant delays. Additionally, senior police personnel at the Marwad police station, under whose jurisdiction the instance was reported have not yet acknowledged the stone-pelting till now. The authorities claimed that they were looking into the reported occurrence on their own.
According to other reports, the incident happened at eleven in the morning, barely ten minutes after the train departed the station. Hundreds of devotees flocked to the Urus celebration, which takes place on the hill at Dhar in the Amalner taluka. After boarding the train, they pulled a chain to descend the hill when the instance transpired.
An episode of stone-pelting on a MEMU train from Gwalior to Jaura was recorded in April 2024. The incident happened when the train arrived at Gwalior’s Birla Nagar station. Notably, stone attacks on the Vande Bharata Express and Shatabdi Express around Gwalior-Morena had earlier been reported as well. Likewise, the “Aastha Special” train, which carried 1,344 Hindu devotees, departed Surat in February for Ayodhya also came under attack. The train was started by the government in observance of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. There was a stone-throwing incident just before the train arrived at Nandurbar Station. An investigation into the situation was then started by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP).
