The Ministry of Railways has taken swift action after a shocking video surfaced showing a catering staff member assaulting a passenger onboard the Hemkunt Express. The incident, which went viral on social media, drew widespread criticism over passenger safety in Indian Railways.
The altercation began after a passenger, identified as Vishal, lodged a complaint on the IRCTC app regarding overcharging for food items during his journey in the 3rd AC compartment of Train No. 14609 (Hemkunt Express). Although IRCTC responded and resolved the billing issue, events took a violent turn soon after.
According to the video posted by Vishal on X (formerly Twitter), the staff members approached him at his berth and repeatedly insisted he come to the lobby to speak with an “official.” When he refused to leave his seat, one of the catering staff members climbed up to his top berth and physically assaulted him, landing multiple blows despite other passengers pleading for him to stop.
Visibly shaken, Vishal recorded the aftermath, showing his bleeding hand and torn clothes, while stating emotionally, “They saw that I was alone and came to attack me. This is the state of safety in Indian Railways.”
He shared the video along with a tweet:
“This is the passenger security in 3rd AC of Indian Railway. #Shame || When I complained about overcharging in Train by Pantry, an attempt was made to kill me 😭😭”
The IRCTC initially replied to the complaint online stating it had been escalated to the concerned authorities.
On Thursday afternoon, the Ministry of Railways issued an official update, confirming that the case is being dealt with “utmost seriousness.”
“A penalty of ₹5 lakh has been imposed on the caterer. An FIR has been lodged by GRP, Kathua. The matter remains under strict watch. Stern action will follow based on the investigation outcome,” the statement read.