Passenger Assaulted Over Meal Price Dispute on Jhansi Train; Railways Clarifies Video Is Old

Jhansi, November 6, 2025: A video showing a passenger being beaten with sticks and belts inside a train compartment has triggered outrage across social media. The man, identified as Nihaal, was reportedly assaulted aboard the Andaman Express after objecting to being overcharged for a meal.

According to Nihaal, he was travelling with his family from Vaishno Devi Katra to Bina on August 25, when catering staff offered him a vegetarian thali priced at ₹130, although the listed rate was ₹110. When he questioned the discrepancy, he was allegedly attacked by vendors inside the compartment.

The viral video shows two men, believed to be catering staff, thrashing the passenger with sticks and belts as fellow travellers tried to stop the assault.

Nihaal later shared details of the incident on social media, saying he was discouraged from filing a police complaint.

“When I went to the Bina Station Police Post, I was told I’d need to visit Gwalior several times for the case. I’m a middle-class student — I can’t afford that,” he said, adding regretfully, “I made a mistake by taking the food.”

The incident gained traction online after being reposted by the NCMIndia Council for Men Affairs, which alleged a pattern of misconduct by railway catering contractors.

“Catering mafia of Indian Railways strike again. A passenger was brutally beaten on the Andaman Express at Jhansi Railway Station after refusing to pay ₹130 for a thali priced at ₹110,” the council wrote on X.

While the video led to widespread outrage, the North Central Railway (NCR) issued an official clarification on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the clip was not recent.

“This is an old video being shared to mislead people. No FIR has been filed regarding any such incident in Jhansi or nearby areas. Please do not spread confusion by posting old content,” the statement read.

Manoj Kumar, Public Relations Officer of the Jhansi Railway Division, also said the division had no record of any such complaint or security report related to the case.

Despite the clarification, the footage has sparked strong reactions online, with users demanding greater accountability and passenger safety within Indian Railways’ catering services. Some called for stricter vetting of contractors, while others highlighted the risks faced by ordinary passengers questioning unfair pricing.

The Railways has not yet confirmed whether any inquiry will be reopened into the matter.