The Ministry of Railways took strict action against the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the concerned vendor following a viral video that exposed live worms in a meal served on a Vande Bharat Express train. The IRCTC now faces a penalty of Rs 10 lakh and the vendor faces a penalty of Rs 50 lakh. The action was taken following a passenger’s complaint after finding live insects and worms in the curd and dal served during dinner on March 15 , 2026 on Patna – Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express (train number 21896).
Watch | Viral video exposes live worms in Vande Bharat meal
In the widely circulated footage, a passenger is seen confronting onboard staff after discovering worms in his food. The crew initially attempted to brush off the complaint by claiming the foreign objects were strands of saffron.
Ministry of Railways says, ‘passenger safety, food quality remain top priority’
In response to the incident, the Ministry of Railways tweeted, “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”.
Indian Railways levied a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on IRCTC. Additionally, the private service provider managing the catering operations was fined Rs 50 Lakh. The Ministry further stated that passenger safety and maintaining quality standards remain their highest priority.
‘This is unacceptable’: Backlash over viral Vande Bharat meal video
The incident gained massive traction online after the viral video showed passengers confronting the onboard catering staff. An X user wrote, “This is unacceptable. Passengers are paying premium fares in Vande Bharat, not traveling in a roadside experiment. Finding insects in food and then being told “it’s kesar” is not just negligence, it’s outright disrespect”. Another posted, “Kalesh in Vande Bharat train over worms in served food. The attendant said ‘Kesar hai..kesar’ for the insect leg found in the Dahi”.
One more person tweeted, “Maggots found in curd served in Vande Bharat train. See how the attendant tries to cover it up saying it’s kesar not worms. Literally there is no way you can escape amrit kaal”.
Financial Express Digital reached out to the IRCTC team for their comments over the incident. Their response is awaited.