The Ministry of Indian Railways has taken action against Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the vendor of a Vande Bharat Express after a video of a passenger finding live worms in his food went viral.
A passenger on the Patna - Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express on March 15, 2026, found live worms in his meal and confronted the onboard staff, who initially tried to dismiss it as "kesar" (saffron).
The Ministry of Railways said that fines were imposed on both IRCTC and the vendor who provided the food, with IRCTC being penalized ₹10 lakh and the service provider being penalized ₹50 lakh and ordered to terminate the contract.
The passenger safety and quality remain the top priority for the ministry, and the incident has sparked a wave of reactions on social media.
