Two teenaged boys were arrested on Thursday in connection with the stoning of the Shatabdi Express in which Rahul Gandhi was traveling on Tuesday night. The boys, aged 14 and 16, admitted to stoning the Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi Express on Tuesday night and said they did so for the fun of it, without any criminal intention, and did not know Rahul was on the train, Rohtak Range Inspector General of Police V Kamraj said, adding that the case has been solved.
The Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi Express carrying Rahul Gandhi was stoned late Tuesday night near Panipat, damaging the windowpanes of five coaches, including the one in which the Congress leader was seated.
The Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi express in which Rahul Gandhi was travelling was stoned tonight near Panipat, about 100 km from here, and the All India Congress Committee general secretary was not in the three compartments which was hit. There were no immediate reports of any injury to passengers while Special Protection Group sources said there was no threat to Rahul in the incident.
23 trains have been partially cancelled and five short terminated till September 26 as protesters blocked rail tracks at various places, including Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and Nabha.
Incidents of arson, firing and vandalism were reported from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab as protesters agitated against the dilution of the SC/ST Act.