Stone-throwing Incidents

Some news reports from the press of 1910-1911 on stone-throwing incidents.

From The Statesman dated August 28, 1910.

A Railway Incident: Missile Thrown At An E.B.S.R. Train

Shortly before 7 o'clock on Friday evening as the 61 UP train of the E.B.S. Railway was leaving Sodepur about five miles from Sealdah a missile was thrown at a first class carriage and struck the compartment in which Mr Hume, the Public Prosecutor, was travelling. Fortunately, however, it struck the window frame and smashed the outside of the compartment. Mr Hume reported the matter at Barrackpur station and stated that the missile was apparently some object made of glass. Two other European passengers, Mr Swarries and Mr Smyther, were travelling in the same compartment with Mr Hume. The train, it appears, was leaving the Sodepur station platform when the missile was thrown, striking the outside of the door-frame. A search resulted in a broken liquor bottle being found close to the railway line at Sodepur. No trace of any liquid was found on the door frame or in any part of the carriage and the broken bottle smelt only of alcohol. Further inquiry is proceeding.

From The Statesman dated December 5, 1910.

Railway Outrage: Store Thrown At Darjeeling Mail

On the morning of the 30th ultimo the down Darjeeling Mail was nearing the Naihati station on the Eastern Bengal State Railway when a large piece of stone hurled at the train by an unknown hand from a secluded spot smashed the raised glass pane of an empty first-class compartment and fell inside. A first-class European passenger who was travelling in the next compartment heard the smash and immediately went into the compartment in question, where he found the stone lying on the floor. Information was given to the Naihati Railway Police, who took charge of the stone and commenced an enquiry, but the miscreant could not be traced. The stone was later on taken charge of by the Barrackpore Railway Police, who are enquiring into the matter. The smashed pane was replaced by a new one on Tuesday at Sealdah.

From The Statesman dated January 21, 1911.

Stone-throwing at trains: Darjeeling Passenger Struck

Another case of pelting at the Up Darjeeling Mail occurred on the 17th instant near Naihati on the Eastern Bengal State Railway. The missile entered a third-class carriage and slightly hurt a passenger named Panchugopal Bhowani on the foot. This is the third case of stone-throwing at the mail within the last fourteen days from almost the identical spot in spite of a vigilant police watch.

Yet another case of throwing missiles at the Up Darjeeling mail from near Naihati on the Eastern Bengal State Railway occurred in the evening of Sunday last. The mail was running between Kankinara and Naihati when a piece of dried earth which was thrown inside a first-class carriage struck a European lady named Mrs Pinder on the face. Fortunately the injury was very slight. The Railway Police, in submitting their final report in connection with the first three cases in the course of the current month, have stated that no clue to the offences could be obtained, but the police believed they were the work of some unruly urchins of Bhatpara.