Throwing stones at running trains should stop

A glass window of a metro rail has been damaged recently after a stone-like object hit the running train. No passenger was, however, injured in the incident as the glass window of the train did not fall apart. Although it was the first time for the metro rail, incidents of pelting stones at moving trains is a common experience for our train passengers. At some spots, it turns very dangerous making the passengers unsafe. Many passengers were injured from stones thus hitting moving trains. Some of them were fatally injured. Even a number of locomotive operators got injured in some incidents. These incidents could be easily avoided if we had been able to make our people aware of our public properties and how we should take care of them.
The metro rail authorities have already filed a case with Kafrul police station accusing some unknown people of pelting stones at the windows of the metro coach. Bringing the perpetrators under justice is no doubt a good way to curb such incidents. But at the same time, educating people, especially children and youth, would be the best way to reduce the incidents of stone-pelting at running trains. The awareness building campaign should be expanded. Moreover, criminals like drug peddlers and snatchers sometimes instigate minors to pelt stones as a game. Even in some cases, bus operators support stone pelting at local commuter trains. AC trains also become the target of such mischief-makers. The metro and railway authorities as well as law enforcers should take necessary steps to prevent such occurences.

Ashikujaman Syed,
Research Assistant,
Bioinformatics Research Lab,
Center for Research Innovation and Development (CRID),
syedashikujaman@yahoo.com