In a disturbing incident, travel vlogger Vishal Sharma was allegedly assaulted by pantry staff aboard the Hemkunt Express (Train No. 14609) after he complained about being overcharged for water, coffee, and instant noodles.
Complaint Turns Violent
Sharma, traveling in the 3rd AC compartment, posted a video on social media platform X, claiming an attempt was made to “kill” him after he pointed out overpricing by the pantry service. In the video, he confronts the staff for charging ₹20 for a bottle of “Wonder Aqua” water and ₹20 for a ₹10 coffee.
Vlogger Shows Evidence
The video shows Sharma filing a complaint via the Railways app, which acknowledged the issue and said appropriate action would be taken. However, things escalated when the pantry staff returned later at night. Despite Sharma refusing to come down from his berth, he was forcibly pulled down and allegedly beaten. The video captures him shirtless and bleeding, questioning passenger safety.
Lack of Immediate Support
Sharma stated that other passengers asked the staff to stop, but were ignored. He later disembarked at Kathua station at 4:40 AM and approached local police, but claimed they did not cooperate in filing an FIR. His railway helpline call also yielded no support.
This is The Passenger Security in 3rd AC of Indian Railway #shame || When I complained about overcharging in Train by Pantry , an attempt was made to kill me 😭😭
— Mr.Vishal (@Mrvishalsharma_) May 7, 2025
Train no.14609
PNR – 2434633402@RailMinIndia @IRCTCofficial @narendramodi @RailwayNorthern @AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/VSNZlblHOQ
Social Media Uproar
The incident has drawn outrage online, with Sharma’s video garnering over 72,000 views in under five hours. The Railways’ official account responded, tagging the Railway Protection Force for follow-up. However, the public is demanding swift action.
Need for Accountability
This incident raises urgent concerns around passenger safety, vendor accountability, and responsiveness of railway grievance redressal systems. With more passengers documenting misconduct online, authorities may face mounting pressure to ensure stricter regulation and better protection for whistleblowers.
