“वंदेभारत एक्सप्रेस पर पथराव करने वाले दयाबस्ती दिल्ली से आप पार्टी के 4 कार्यकर्ता हिरासत में। यही बेवकुफ राजनीति बदलने आये थे (Four AAP supporters from Daya Basti, Delhi were arrested for pelting stones at the Vande Bharat Express. The same fools had come to change the face of politics -translated)” , reads the text of a message currently viral on social media. The message suggests that the engine-less train Vande Bharat express, also called Train 18, was vandalised by four AAP supporters from Daya Basti, Delhi on February 2, 2019.

The message has been shared by several individuals on Facebook and Twitter.

No arrest

Alt News found that the claim about the four people, who were allegedly arrested for stone pelting at Vande Bharat Express being AAP supporters is false and malicious. According to media reports, the police has made no arrest in the case so far. An article published by NDTV on February 2, said, “No one was hurt and no arrests were made after the incident occurred when the train left Sakurbasti at around 11:03 pm on Friday to reach New Delhi to begin its trial run to Allahabad, railways said.” Railway Police Force personnel who were escorting the train to New Delhi station, had informed the authorities about the stone pelting incident on reaching the station. Initial reports indeed suggested that the attack took place near Daya Basti.

Later, reports emerged that a stone was pelted near Sadar area and NOT Daya Basti. “The Sadar area was searched, however, no suspect was found. Meanwhile, Indian Railways also informed that no one was hurt in the stone pelting incident. The incident took place, barely a month after a similar incident where stones were pelted on Train 18 during a trial run between Delhi and Agra.”, stated a report published by The Financial Express on February 4, 2019. The train was previously attacked on December 20, 2018 during a trail run.

In conclusion, the narrative of four AAP supporters from Daya Basti attacking the Vande Bharat train is completely false. Earlier, the previous case of vandalism related to the same train by unidentified miscreants was attributed to the leader of Opposition in an attempt to portray them as ‘anti-development’.