Stones hurled at Vande Bharat in UP's Hardoi; RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on board

HARDOI: A Vande Bharat train carrying RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was stoned near Kauda village on Thursday afternoon, police said to news agency PTI. The incident occurred around 3.20 pm when the Vande Bharat Express was heading towards Delhi. Railway sources said the stone-pelting caused a windowpane of the train to crack. Circle Officer (City) Ankit Mishra said preliminary information suggested that some children aged between 8 and 13 were playing cricket near the railway track and may have hurled stones at the passing train. “Legal action is being taken,” he said. No injuries were reported. Meanwhile, a day after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath met Mohan Bhagwat, both deputy chief ministers also called on the RSS chief on Thursday morning. Sources said Keshav Prasad Maurya met Bhagwat at the RSS centre in Nirala Nagar, followed by Brajesh Pathak. The meetings stirred political discussions, with observers suggesting varying interpretations. Some viewed the interactions as a move to accord equal significance to the state’s top leadership, while others believed Bhagwat may have sought feedback on governance and offered suggestions. With assembly elections due early next year, such meetings often trigger debate and speculation in the politically significant state.