Daijiworld Media Network – Surat

Surat, Aug 26: A Mumbai-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express was allegedly targeted with stones near Utran railway station in Gujarat's Surat district on Tuesday, while Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was travelling on board.

Patel remained safe in the incident, and no injuries or casualties were reported.

Police have arrested the person allegedly responsible for the stone-pelting. According to reports, the accused is believed to be mentally unstable.

The incident occurred on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express, which operates between the two cities via Vadodara, Surat, Vapi and Borivali.

The train covers around 491 km in approximately five hours and 30 minutes and is an important high-speed rail link between Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The incident comes days after another Vande Bharat Express was involved in an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Mahoba district. A Khajuraho-Varanasi Vande Bharat collided with a bull that strayed onto the tracks near the Kidari railway crossing. The impact damaged the front section of the train, but all passengers remained safe.

Vande Bharat services have witnessed growing passenger demand since their introduction. Nearly four crore passengers travelled on Vande Bharat trains during the financial year 2025-26, registering around 34 per cent year-on-year growth.

The trains are equipped with several safety and passenger-comfort features, including KAVACH, automatic plug doors, CCTV surveillance, ergonomic seating and onboard charging facilities.