Imagine a young child sitting by a train window, eyes wide with excitement as the green fields of Bengal whistle past. Suddenly, the glass shatters. In a split second, a moment of joy turns into a nightmare of blood and shards. This isn’t just a hypothetical scenario; it is the reality of stone-pelting—a mindless act that treats national property like a target and human lives like collateral damage. Our trains are more than just steel and engines; they are the lifelines of our nation, carrying dreams, families, and futures. When you pick up a stone, you aren’t just hitting a train; you might be hitting your own brother, a neighbour, or a friend who is simply trying to get home.
To prevent such crimes, the Eastern Railway is continuously conducting awareness campaigns in areas adjacent to the railway tracks. The Eastern Railway has released the latest figures for stone-pelting incidents in 2026, up to the current date. While our security forces are working tirelessly, the numbers show a concerning trend across various divisions. In the Howrah division, 06 incidents were reported and 06 cases registered, resulting in 04 cases detected and 05 persons arrested. The Sealdah division saw 04 incidents and 04 cases registered, with 03 cases detected and 04 arrests. In Asansol, there were 06 incidents and 06 cases registered, though only 01 case has been detected with 02 arrests so far. Malda reported 05 incidents and 05 cases registered, with 03 detections and 03 arrests. This brings the total for these divisions to 21 incidents reported, 21 cases registered, 11 cases detected, and 14 persons arrested. Specifically within West Bengal, the data shows 12 reported incidents, 12 registered cases, 07 detections, and 10 arrests.
A train is a beautiful thing—a symbol of progress that belongs to every Indian citizen as national property, funded by your hard-earned money. Destroying it is like damaging your own home. We urge you to think before you act because that window you are aiming at could be shielding a loved one. Many people harbor the dangerous misconception that throwing a stone at a train is just a bit of fun or that it might not even hit the target. This is entirely wrong; a stone thrown at a moving train will definitely hit and destroy property, causing structural damage and potentially lethal injuries. Observations show that these incidents occur most frequently near ground areas where children play. It is therefore vital that parents take the responsibility to teach their children that trains are not targets and that such actions carry devastating consequences.
Be a guardian for your community; if you see someone picking up a stone, stop them and educate them. Your intervention could save a life or prevent a young person from ruining their future with a criminal record. Stone pelting is not a prank; it is a serious crime under the Railways Act, 1989. According to Section 152, if any person throws a stone or any other object at a train with the intent to cause hurt or damage, they can be punished with life imprisonment or rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years. Furthermore, Section 154 states that even if the act is done through rash or negligent behavior without a specific intent to kill, the offender can still face up to one year of imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, Shibram Majhi, stated that no one should forget they are under constant CCTV surveillance. Every action taken near the tracks is recorded, and these recordings are used to identify and prosecute offenders. Let’s keep our railways safe, beautiful, and stone-free by protecting the trains that carry India forward.
(Edited by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Sr.Broadcast Journalist)
