Concerns over stone pelting on trains in Palakkad division

Palakkad: Repeated incidents of stone-pelting on trains have raised concern among railway authorities and passengers in the Palakkad railway division. Last week, the Vande Bharat Express and the Chennai Mail Express trains were targeted near Parali, about 9km from Palakkad Junction. The rise in such attacks along tracks in Palakkad and Kozhikode districts has added to safety concerns, with the culprits yet to be identified. On Friday, the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express (train no. 26652) was attacked around 4.30pm near Parali. Window panes of one of the coaches were damaged. The loco pilot later filed a complaint with the railway protection force. In another incident on Thursday night, which coincided with polling day, stones were thrown at the Chennai Mail Express near the same location around 8pm. One passenger was injured. Earlier, a similar attack was reported between Kadalundi and Feroke near Kozhikode, where stones were hurled at the Kannur Executive Express, seriously injuring a woman passenger. The repeated attacks have also disrupted train schedules as affected trains are often forced to halt, causing inconvenience to passengers and raising safety concerns.