Bengal: Slugfest continues between TMC and BJP over stone throwing on Vande Bharat Express

The window panes of two coaches of the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express were on Tuesday damaged allegedly owing to stone pelting from outside at NJP station, a crime that happened just a day after the same incident happened in Malda.

One window pane each in two coaches of the semi-super speed loco were damaged before the train reached the New Jalpaiguri station on Tuesday afternoon, a Northeast Frontier Railway official confirmed.

Before this on Monday, similar attacks happened near the Malda station on the Howrah bound train.

The Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express service was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Dec 30 from Gandhinagar.

The commercial run of the train began on Jan 1.

An Eastern Railway official here said they would start an awareness campaign and sensitise the people regarding the utility of the national asset, meant for common people.

Besides, the security of the railways would also be sensitised on the route, he added.

The political leaders, however, in unison said the railways is the national property and anyone damaging it should be given exemplary punishment.

No one so far has been identified in the vandalisation of the train and the political rivals

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP are involved in the slugfest.

The Trinamool Congress' mouthpiece Jago Bangla described the stone throwing as the same side goal by the BJP.

The ruling party said it was a ploy of the BJP to defame the Mamata Banejree government.

"Vande Bharat attacked again in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee didn’t act after the train was attacked last night, and it has only emboldened the vandals, who are likely aligned to the TMC.

Her silence is eloquent. She has taken her apathy for central Govt initiatives in WB too far," BJP leader Amit Malvia posted on his Twitter account.