4-year-old girl dies after stone hits moving train near Solapur

A four-year-old girl died after being struck by a stone hurled at a moving train by an unidentified person, police said on Monday. The incident occurred around 1 pm on Sunday aboard the Vijayapura–Raichur passenger train.

According to the Solapur division of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the deceased child, Aarohi Ajit Kangre, was a resident of Bhavani Peth in Solapur city and was living with her grandfather Ashok Koli. Aarohi had been visiting Lachyan village in Indi tehsil in Karnataka with relatives for a local religious fair and was returning home when the fatal incident occurred.

“Aarohi was sitting on her uncle’s lap near a window when a heavy stone, thrown from outside between Hotgi and Tikekarwadi stations, hit her near the right ear. She immediately vomited and lost consciousness. The family rushed her to a private hospital near Tikekarwadi station. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was shifted to Solapur Civil Hospital, where doctors declared her dead before treatment could begin,” a senior RPF official said on condition of anonymity.

The incident has sparked outrage among residents who have demanded strict action against the culprit. The RPF has launched an investigation and is examining CCTV footage from areas around the track in an effort to identify the attacker.

“The horrifying incident raises serious concerns about railway security. Why do such attacks on moving trains keep happening? What measures are in place to prevent them? Once again, the safety of ordinary passengers is under question,” said Parag Joshi, a frequent traveller on the Solapur route.