Family traveling in 1st AC caught stealing bedsheets, blankets on Purushottam Express. Watch video

A bizarre incident aboard the Purushottam Express has gone viral after a family travelling in the First AC coach was allegedly caught stealing railway-provided bedsheets, blankets, and towels. The episode came to public attention after a passenger shared a video of the confrontation between the train staff and the family on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The incident reportedly occurred during a journey on the Puri–New Delhi route of the Purushottam Express. The now-viral video, posted by user Debabrata Sahoo, shows a train attendant retrieving multiple sets of bed linen from the passengers’ luggage. In the clip, the attendant can be heard saying in Odia, “Sir, see here, bedsheets and blankets are coming out of all the bags. Towels, bedsheets altogether, four sets. Either return them or pay Rs 780.”

The male passenger is heard claiming it was a mistake, saying that his mother must have packed them unknowingly. The staff, however, appears unconvinced and questions why such an incident occurred when the family was travelling in a premium coach. “Sir, why are you stealing when you are travelling in 1st AC? You said you are going on a pilgrimage,” the attendant remarks.



Soon after, the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) intervenes and warns that the matter could be escalated under the Railways Act if the passengers refuse to cooperate. “Either pay, and I’ll issue a receipt, or the police will come, and I’ll file an FIR against your PNR,” the TTE is heard saying in the video.

Commenting on the video one social media user wrote, "Why can't @RailMinIndia and @AshwiniVaishnaw implement a Rail Hostess-type system? It will also create employment and charge passengers who want facilities, rather than providing everything for free, which would lead to people looting national resources."

"I have heard about people who are rich enough to stay in five-star hotels and still take small items like linens, pillows, and decorative pieces. Sometimes stealing has less to do with economic background. It’s a compulsive behavior very very commonly found in people," wrote another.

"Traveling in 1st AC is a privilege, but stealing bedsheets shows lack of respect and honesty. Let’s value public resources and maintain decorum," said a third.