Here’s What Indian Railways Did After Passenger Finds Live Worms In Curd On Vande Bharat Train

IRCTC often finds itself in the spotlight, unfortunately more for controversies than commendations, especially when it comes to food quality on trains. Time and again, passengers have raised serious concerns, and yet another alarming incident has surfaced. Recently, live worms were discovered in food served on the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express, which prompted the Ministry of Railways to take swift and strict action. A hefty penalty was imposed on IRCTC along with a significant fine on the private vendor responsible.

Live worms found in curd served in Vande Bharat creates buzz

A shocking incident on the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 21896) has once again raised serious concerns over food safety on Indian trains. The matter came to light after a passenger flagged a complaint about poor food quality on 15 March 2026. What initially seemed like a routine grievance quickly turned alarming when live worms and insects were reportedly found in the dinner served onboard.

Passenger Ritesh Kumar Singh shared that the issue was discovered in the Amul dahi (curd) and dal provided as part of the meal. A video of the incident soon went viral on social media, capturing the tense moment when Singh confronted the railway staff.

In the clip, the attendant initially tried to dismiss the complaint, claiming the worm was actually “kesar (saffron).” However, the situation escalated when Singh pointed out the visibly moving worms in the curd cup and on the plate, leaving the staff with no room to deny the claim.

The incident became even more concerning when Singh revealed that while he himself had not eaten the food, his co-passenger had already consumed the curd before noticing the contamination. Clearly upset, Singh is heard saying in the video,

“Look at this, we are paying money to eat poison.”

He further questioned the accountability of the authorities, asking,

“Who will be responsible if something happens? Will action be taken after we die from eating this?”

His remarks reflected the frustration and fear of passengers over such negligence.

Have a look at the videos of the incident

Live worms and insects were found in the Amul Dahi that was served to passanger on board 21896 Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat on March 15. In a landmark decision, Railways has penalized IRCTC with ₹10 lakh and the service provider with ₹50 lakh. pic.twitter.com/zrAae3Wgay

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) March 25, 2026

Another video,

Serious concerns raised again over food quality in Vande Bharat Express.
A passenger found a worm in curd, but the attendant shamelessly tried to pass it off as “saffron.” The truth came out when the worm was seen moving on the plate video now viral.
After the outrage, Indian… pic.twitter.com/gnCJ4EUXSW

— The Nalanda Index (@Nalanda_index) March 25, 2026

Complaint filed,

Railways issues prompt response after viral outrage

As the video from the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express spread rapidly across social media, the Ministry of Railways moved quickly to address the growing concern. The shocking visuals of worms in food triggered widespread public anger, prompting the ministry to take swift cognisance of the issue and respond within days.

In a statement posted on X on 25 March, the ministry said,

“The complaint regarding food quality raised by a passenger in train number 21896 (Patna – Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on 15 March 2026 has been taken seriously. Action taken — IRCTC has been penalised Rs 10 lakh, the service provider has been penalised with Rs 50 lakh, and ordered to terminate the contact. Passenger safety and quality remain our top priority.”

Check it out,

The complaint regarding food quality raised by a passenger in train number 21896 (Patna – Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on 15 March 2026 has been taken seriously. Action taken — IRCTC has been penalised ₹10 lakh, the service provider has been penalised with ₹50 lakh, and…

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 25, 2026

The response highlighted not just accountability but also the urgency with which authorities acted after the matter went viral.

Here is how netizens reacted

What makes the incident even more telling is that staff themselves advised the passenger to take the matter to social media, highlighting how complaints often gain traction only after going public. After the video was made public, here is how netizens reacted,

They penalised IRCTC with Rs 10L. But IRCTC is govt company. I don’t get the connection here.

— The Practical Boy (@practicalboy4) March 25, 2026

Additionally, the ministry has ordered the immediate termination of the vendor’s contract due to the presence of live worms and insects in the Amul Dahi and dal served. This is considered one of the highest penalties ever levied by the Railway Board for catering lapses.

— asif khan (@_asif) March 25, 2026

What has the consumer gained?

— Abhijeet (@abhic4ever) March 25, 2026

yes even i found cockroach reporting online then the concerned people came n said sorry but no improvement business as usual

— 🐯 🇮🇳 (@Mloremallige) March 26, 2026

They – the govt – only wants your money. Everything else is not relevant for them.

— BBS Moni (@Bbsmoni) March 25, 2026

Which route. Else you are generalising. Not at all justifying the bad quality of food. The passengers will be traumatised for a long time

— UM (@UdayMenon764302) March 25, 2026

The episode once again brings attention to repeated concerns over food hygiene on Indian Railways, even in premium services like the Vande Bharat Express. While IRCTC claims to have issued strict guidelines, such recurring lapses continue to raise serious questions about on-ground implementation.

What are your thoughts on this recurring issue with food quality on Indian Railways? Do share your views in the comments below.