Patna: A passenger travelling on the Vande Bharat Express from Patna to Howrah has alleged serious negligence in food safety after discovering a dead worm in his pre-packaged breakfast. The incident has sparked outrage among co-passengers and prompted a formal complaint to railway authorities.
Amit Jaiswal, seated on seat number 65 in coach C-12 of train number 22348, said he found the worm while eating breakfast served near Bakhtiyarpur on Sunday morning. Jaiswal, who had opted for the non-vegetarian meal during ticket booking, said the sealed meal included an omelette, sweet corn, and a peas mix—within which the worm was discovered.
“I noticed the worm while eating. The packet was completely sealed, so it was clearly a lapse in food preparation,” Jaiswal said. He immediately reported the matter to the onboard manager, but claimed that no immediate solution or redressal was offered.
He later lodged a complaint with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), tagging the Railway Minister, East Central Railway, and the Ministry of Railways on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to draw attention to the incident.
Other passengers in the coach expressed anger over the discovery, with many refusing to eat the provided breakfast. “If it had been something poisonous instead of a worm—like a lizard—it could have cost someone their life,” a fellow traveller remarked.
The Vande Bharat Express, a flagship service of the Railway Ministry, is promoted as a premium travel experience. This incident has raised questions over catering standards and food safety protocols on board.
