Vande Bharat Express pelted with stones in Bihar, not Bengal

SAGAR ISLAND: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the Vande Bharat Express was pelted with stones in neighbouring Bihar, and not her state.

She said legal action will be taken against those media outlets that spread ''fake news'' that the incidents took place in West Bengal, bringing a bad name to the state.

''Vande Bharat was pelted with stones in Bihar and not in West Bengal. We will take legal action against those media outlets that telecast fake news that the incident took place in West Bengal and brought a bad name to our state,'' Banerjee told reporters before leaving Sagar Island.

''Vande Bharat is nothing special. It is just an old train refurbished with a new engine,'' she said.

Banerjee concluded her two-day visit to the island to oversee the preparations for the Gangasagar Mela that begins on January 8.

The Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express was on Tuesday pelted with stones for the second time, days after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Railway authorities on Thursday claimed they have identified those who threw stones at the train. The incident sparked a slugfest between the BJP and Trinamool Congress.