Train Stopped For Engineering Work, Pilot Did Not Get Samosa

A video going viral on social media in India claimed that a locomotive pilot on a train running between Indore and Mahu stopped the train to buy samosas. In the shared footage, the train was seen waiting next to a food stall by the side of the tracks, and the pilot was seen buying a snack. Following this claim, it was alleged that the train waited for about ten minutes and passengers were victimized. In fact, some social media users tried to amplify the incident by claiming that this situation occurred routinely every day. However, these claims drew the attention of officials shortly after they were published.

Following the incident, Indian Railways launched a detailed investigation into the matter and issued an official press statement to inform the public. Officials announced that the situation was being investigated, stating that the viral video was completely baseless and shared in an intentionally misleading way. Public Relations Officer of the Ratlam Railway Division, Mukesh Kumar, stated that the true face of the incident was revealed as a result of the investigations. In the statement made on behalf of the Railways, it was emphasized that the staff did not abuse their duty and that the train stopping was entirely due to a technical necessity. Thus, the baseless claims spreading on social media were officially denied.

According to the official statement, the vehicle seen in the viral video was not a passenger train at all, but a freight train. The freight train in question had to wait at the 'home signal' in the Rao train depot due to pre-planned engineering works. The Public Relations Officer conducting the reviews clearly stated that the train could not get permission to move due to ongoing engineering works on the tracks ahead and was therefore stopped at the signal. So the reason for the train being stopped was not a snack break at all, but a procedure entirely tied to safety and infrastructure works. These details proved that the story told in the video was fundamentally a lie.

The identity of the person claimed to have bought samosas in the video was also clarified within the scope of the investigation. Official Mukesh Kumar debunked another dimension of the incident by explaining that the person in the footage was not an active assistant locomotive pilot on duty at that moment. It was stated that the person in the footage was actually a backup (reserve) assistant pilot waiting on standby. In addition, it was emphasized that social media users shared this video associating it with 'DEMU' (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit), which is a passenger train, whereas the incident belonged to a freight train. Railway officials noted that the spread of such misleading information both damages the reputation of the staff and causes public anxiety.

Following the denial of the incident, railway officials called for caution against similar baseless claims. Mukesh Kumar closed the matter by once again confirming that the video was spread with a false context and that the shared information was completely deceptive. Nevertheless, it was promised that if any rule violation or irregularity was detected during the investigation process, the necessary disciplinary actions would be applied flawlessly against the personnel involved. Indian Railways reminded that it always prioritizes the safety of passengers and the strict application of operational rules. This incident once again demonstrated how important it is to verify the accuracy of news spreading on social media.