Malappuram: Within of week of becoming operational in Kerala, a stone was thrown at the Vande Bharat Express on Monday.
The incident reportedly occurred near the Tirur Railway Station in Malappuram district by 5 pm on the train's journey to Thiruvananthapuram from Kasaragod.
A passenger was the first to spot cracks in a glass window and alerted the loco pilot. The train did not stop and continued the journey.
On arrival at Shoranur, the railway protection force inspected the cracks and the local police has begun a probe.
The Vande Bharat Express had been flagged off from the state capital by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 25.
The stone pelting incident comes amidst the widespread protest against Vande Bharat not being allowed a stop in Malappuram district (Tirur station). The train was given a grand welcome when the train stopped at Tirur during the inaugural run.
Initially, it was reported that the new train service would include a stop at Tirur.
The Vande Bharat Express also stopped at the station during the first trial run. However, the withdrawal of the stop after this led to strikes and protests.
Incidents of stone pelting on the Vande Bharat Express trains have been reported from Telangana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal since its inaugural run in February 2019. However, the incident at Malappuram is the first attack on the Vande Bharat in Kerala.
