WATCH Video | Insects In Vande Bharat’s Sambhar: A Disgusting Surprise!

A disturbing incident involving the discovery of insects in the food served on India's Vande Bharat Express has raised significant concerns about the quality and hygiene of meals on the country's premium trains.

A passenger travelling on the Tirunelveli to Chennai route found live insects floating in the sambhar served to him during his journey.

The passenger, understandably horrified by the discovery, immediately shared a video on social media, showing black bugs visibly crawling in the curry. The video quickly went viral, sparking outrage among social media users, who voiced their disgust over the unhygienic conditions of the food.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore took to social media to highlight the incident and raised questions about the hygiene standards on the Vande Bharat Express. He shared the video and tagged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, demanding accountability from IRCTC, the catering arm responsible for food services on Indian Railways.

In his tweet, Tagore wrote, "Dear Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, live insects were found in the food served on the Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express. Passengers have raised concerns over hygiene and IRCTC's accountability. What steps are being taken to ensure food safety on premium trains?"

This latest discovery follows a troubling pattern of complaints regarding the food served on Vande Bharat trains. Earlier this year, a similar complaint surfaced when a passenger found a cockroach in their meal on the same express train. This growing issue of food safety on India's premium trains has become a serious concern for passengers, who have increasingly voiced dissatisfaction with the quality and hygiene of the meals served onboard.

The incident led to a flood of online reactions, with many questioning the railway's catering services. One user remarked, "Why are catering services so poor on express trains and at stations? The food is unhygienic, and passengers have no other option but to tolerate it." Others also expressed their displeasure with the apparent lack of oversight in the food preparation process, with many emphasizing the importance of hygiene, especially on trains operating at such a high profile.

In response to the uproar, Southern Railways conducted an investigation into the matter. According to their clarification, the insect was not found inside the sambhar itself but was reportedly stuck to the lid of the aluminium container in which the food was served.

Despite this explanation, the Southern Railway authorities took immediate action by imposing a ₹50,000 fine on Brindavan Food Products, the catering service provider responsible for the food. The railway authorities also sent food samples for further testing to determine the cause of contamination and assured that additional actions would be pursued to prevent such incidents in the future.

The incident has once again brought the issue of food safety and hygiene on trains into the spotlight. Passengers are calling on the Indian Railways and the concerned authorities to take more stringent measures to improve the quality and cleanliness of the food served onboard. Many are urging the government to enforce stricter checks and oversight on the catering services to ensure passengers' health and safety are not compromised.

As incidents like these continue to draw attention, it remains to be seen what long-term actions will be taken to address the concerns raised by the public. The growing number of complaints regarding food safety on Indian Railways highlights the need for a more robust system of monitoring and accountability to ensure that premium services like the Vande Bharat Express maintain the high standards they promise to their passengers.