Police have set up eight checkpoints to prevent stones being thrown at the train. Yet the stone throwing at trains has not being stopped yet.
A meeting was held at FultalaRailgate area of Sonaichhari Union between Bhatiari-Kumira under the chairmanship of Railway Assistant Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Mohammad Ibrahim.
Railway Chattogram District Superintendent of Police Mohammad HasanChowdhury said the meeting sought the cooperation of all those present at the railway station and around the railway line to stop people throwing stones at trains. At the time, local boys and girls of the area and school and madrasa students were given an idea about the horrible outcome of throwing stones at trains. Everyone was also informed about the punishment for throwing stones.
Passengers want to choose to travel by train to reach their destination quickly without traffic jams. But train trips have now become a cause for fear. Pahartali and Sitakunda areas of Chittagong have the highest number of stone throwing incidents targeting moving trains.
According to Section 127 of the Railway Act, throwing stones at a train carries a maximum fine of Tk 10,000 with life imprisonment. According to section 302, there is a provision of death penalty if someone dies by throwing stones. However, there is no precedent that anyone has been punished under these laws.
Although the railway authorities are active, these people are not being identified. According to GRP sources, 80 percent children and teenagers in the slums and drug addicts were involved in the incident. The slum children were detained but released on bond due to lack of evidence.
According to railway sources, stones have been hurled at 110 moving trains on various routes of the railway in the last nine months. This year January to September, 29 passengers were injured in the stone-throwing incidents and 103 broken windows of the train. Most of the moving trains in Chattogram district throw stones at Pahartali and Barbakund in Sitakunda.
Pahartali and Sitakunda railway line many slums and jungles are surrounded by various anti-social activities including drug addicts and drug addicts. As a result, these areas have become dangerous for train passengers.
It is learned that the railway department has asked for 1500 thousand manpower in the railway security forces to stop throwing stones at the moving train. In order to avoid this incident, it was recommended to install wire mesh (net) in the window of the train.
The stones thrown at the moving train under the Eastern Railway are Pahartali in Chattogram, Barbakund in Sitakund, Fazilpur-Kalidah in Feni and NarsingdiSadar, Jinardi and Ghorashal areas.
Chattogram Railway Superintendent of Police Md Hasan Chowdhury said, "We have started work to stop throwing stones at the train." Our awareness activities have been going on since the 4th of this month. We are telling people at different points about the evils of throwing stones. I am also asking the teachers to raise this issue in their teaching as well. We are also going to the mosque in the area on Friday to give a speech. I am making the people of the area aware.
He said, "I am arresting anyone who walks with stones." When I am a child, I am leaving with a bond from my parents. Some teenagers try to get on a moving train when they are stopped by passengers. Then they became angry and threw stones.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Chattogram Railway Police Station Mohammad Nazim Uddin said, "We are continuing our regular activities to stop throwing stones at the train." We are also conducting awareness activities with the campaign.