Vande Bharat collides with cows twice in a day

Alipurduar: The New Jalpaiguri (NJP)-Guwahati Vande Bharat Express struck cows twice at the Assam-Bengal border between Samuktala and Jorai Stations on Thursday, resulting in minor damage to the train, according to an official.

The incident occurred between Shamuktala and Jorai Stations in the Alipurduar Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The train collided with a cow and came to a stop around 9 am on Thursday. After a brief pause, approximately 15 minutes later, as the train resumed its journey, around 9:25 am, it collided with another cow and halted again. Following the incident on Thursday, the Railway Protection Force of the Alipurduar Division initiated an investigation and arrested the owner of the cattle involved.

Arun Kumar Singh, RPF inspector at Alipurduar Junction, stated: “We have arrested one cow owner and are searching for another. The arrested owner was presented in the Alipurduar district Court on Friday. Despite our awareness campaigns, people continue to graze cows near railway tracks, which can lead to accidents at any time.” It is known that if the accused is found guilty, they may face a penalty of two years in jail and a fine.