The controversy around alleged insect contamination in a cup of Amul dahi served onboard the Vande Bharat Express has taken a new turn, with Amul issuing a detailed clarification rejecting the claims and outlining its findings after an internal probe and discussions with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation officials.

The incident dates back to March 15, when a viral video from the Patna–Tatanagar route showed what appeared to be live weevils inside a sealed cup of curd. The visuals triggered widespread concern over food safety standards on one of India’s flagship trains, prompting swift punitive action from the Ministry of Railways.

Amul rejects contamination claims

Responding to the allegations, Amul stated that after conducting a “comprehensive investigation” and reviewing its entire supply chain, there was no evidence of contamination originating from its production facilities. The company firmly dismissed the possibility of such infestation occurring during manufacturing.

“Following a comprehensive investigation and a meeting with IRCTC officials, we would like to inform that such infestation is scientifically and operationally impossible within our production cycle,” Amul said in its official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The dairy giant further emphasised that its audit across the value chain showed “no deviations or non-conformities at any stage.” It also made a key claim regarding the specific batch in question, stating that it was not supplied through its authorised distribution network.

“Furthermore, it was determined that the specific batch in question was not supplied to the train through Amul’s authorised distribution network,” the company added, suggesting the possibility of a supply chain breach outside its control.

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Highlighting its manufacturing standards, Amul underlined that its curd products are produced in ISO-certified plants with strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place to maintain hygiene and quality.

From a scientific perspective, the company explained why the presence of weevils inside sealed curd is highly unlikely. “From a biological standpoint, weevils cannot survive or reproduce within the curd mass due to absence of oxygen and the acidic nature of the product,” the statement read.

Amul also pointed out that its products require consistent refrigeration, which is incompatible with the environmental conditions needed for such pests to thrive. “The required consistent refrigeration storage for dahi is incompatible with the dry, warm environments that weevils need to thrive,” it said.

Contamination likely during serving, says Amul

Based on its analysis of the viral video, Amul suggested that the contamination may have occurred at the point of serving rather than production. “Analysis of consumer-posted video evidence indicates that the pests likely originated from an infested serving tray provided by the onboard vendor rather than the product itself,” the company noted.

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Railways takes strict action

Meanwhile, the original incident led to strict action by authorities. After the video gained traction online, multiple passengers also reported similar experiences, intensifying scrutiny on onboard catering services.

Taking the matter seriously, the Ministry of Railways imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh on the catering service provider and terminated its contract. Additionally, IRCTC was fined Rs 10 lakh for lapses in ensuring food quality.

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In its official response, the Railways stated, “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 contract. Passenger safety and quality remain our top priority.”