Vande Bharat Express jolts after children place stones on tracks near Kannur

Kannur: In a serious safety breach, five students were held for placing stones on the railway track just before the Vande Bharat Express passed through. The incident occurred near the railway bridge in Chirakkal at 12:23 pm on Saturday, as the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod Vande Bharat train was approaching.

The students, all residents of Puthiyatheru, were taken into custody following the incident.

According to reports, the train jolted after hitting the stones on the track shortly after passing Kannur railway station. The loco pilot immediately reported the disturbance, prompting swift action from railway authorities.

Railway Sub-Inspector K Sunil Kumar, Railway Protection Force Assistant Sub-Inspector Shilna Sreeranj, and officials K.P. Baiju and C.P. Shamsuddin rushed to the site for inspection. They found that the train had run over stones placed on the track, crushing them under its weight.

Local residents told officials they had seen a group of children near the tracks around the time of the incident. Authorities soon located the students, who confessed to placing the stones.

According to their statement, the students had come to swim in a nearby pond as schools were closed for vacation. The stones were allegedly placed on the track “out of curiosity.”

The students were taken to the Kannur RPF station, and their parents were informed about the incident.