Vande Bharat Maggots in Curd: IRCTC Fined Rs 10 Lakh, Vendor Rs 50 Lakh, Contract Canceled

• Ministry of Railways took action after a video showed live worms in food served on Vande Bharat Express.
• IRCTC was penalized Rs 10 lakh, and the service provider was fined Rs 50 lakh with contract termination.
• The incident occurred on train number 21896 (Patna - Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on March 15, 2026.
• A passenger's video showed maggots in curd; staff initially dismissed it as 'kesar' (saffron).
• Investigation revealed the curd packaging had exceeded its validity period, manufactured on March 4 and served on March 15.