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IRCTC maintains food safety protocols were followed, but victim claims her two-year-old son also fell ill
'My son developed diarrhea': Mother shares viral photos of swollen face after eating Vande Bharat lunch
The Vande Bharat Express could be the crown jewel of Indian railways as it is sleek, fast and premium. But for one passenger, Ayushi Singh, a recent trip on the Varanasi-Deoghar route (22500) turned into a medical emergency that made the Internet take sides.
While traveling on March 27, 2026, Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to share distressing images of his face, which appeared very swollen. He stated that the reaction began shortly after consuming the lunch served on the E1 coach. The situation hit closer to home when she reported that her two-year-old son developed diarrhea after the same meal.
“I developed a severe allergy that could have been life-threatening,” Singh posted, noting that medical professionals confirmed the severity of the reaction when she got herself checked.
However, the IRCTC has responded with a strong defense. They responded to your complaint on X, saying that they had inspected the food and that it was “satisfactory.” Additionally, they mentioned that out of an entire passenger train, no one else reported getting sick or having hygiene problems that day.
Singh was not backing down. He pointed out the logistical reality of early-morning travel: since the train leaves at dawn, they hadn't eaten at home. Vande Bharat food was their only source of nutrition during the day.
His rebuttal struck a chord with frequent travelers: “I'm glad no one else got sick. But my son and I did…clearly they don't care about this since we were the ONLY ones who got sick.”
@FerrocarrilSeva @drmljn Please investigate the matter urgently. I was traveling in Vande Bharat coach 22500 E1 on 27.3.26 and after having lunch, I developed a severe allergy which could have been life-threatening. My son (2 years old) also developed diarrhea. (Photo attached for reference) pic.twitter.com/KBdyppDq4m— La_Mediocre_Fille (@AyushiS54377868) March 30, 2026
In recent months, Vande Bharat has seen an increasing number of complaints, especially related to food. More recently, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) had summoned Amul seeking an explanation after posts went viral claiming that the brand's curd served on the Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express train had worms.
April 1, 2026, 12:43 IST
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