IRCTC on Friday summoned leading dairy brand Amul and sought its reply. The step was taken after live insects were reportedly found in Amul’s packaged curd served to a passenger on the Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express.
This action was taken by the corporation after the rebuke from the Railway Ministry. The ministry not only imposed heavy fines on both the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the service provider Krishna Enterprises, but also directed termination of the contract.
What did IRCTC say in the statement?
Complaints regarding the quality of Amul Dahi served in Patna-Tata Vande Bharat train have been taken very seriously, IRCTC said in a statement. It has not only imposed a heavy penalty on the licensee and Amul, but has also initiated the process of terminating the contract and blacklisting the train licensee, the statement said.
Furthermore, Amul has been summoned on March 27 to explain the serious concerns regarding the quality of its curd. When contacted, IRCTC refused to divulge the clarification given by Amul. No immediate response has been received from Amul either.
What was the whole matter?
Vande was traveling by Bharat train on March 15. They reportedly found live insects in Amul curd packets served with dinner. Passenger Ritesh Singh immediately raised the issue on his X handle, tagging IRCTC, Railway Minister and others.
Responding to the traveller, Amul wrote from its official customer care account on Twitter: “We are concerned to know about your experience. Please send us your contact number, residential address and batch number so that we can investigate further.
After investigating the matter, IRCTC imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the seller Krishna Enterprises for negligence in handling food items. IRCTC also directed the company to maintain proper cold chain, be more vigilant and follow food safety protocols. Dissatisfied with the action of IRCTC, the Railway Ministry directed to terminate the contract of Krishna Enterprises on March 25, 2026 and increase the fine from Rs 25 thousand to Rs 50 lakh. The ministry has also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on IRCTC.