Uproar Over Rudrabhishek Performed in Moving Train: Railways Clarifies

A video of a religious 'Rudrabhishek' ceremony taking place inside a moving train has gone viral on social media, sparking a massive debate. As users questioned whether religious rituals are permitted on trains and raised safety concerns, Northern Railway stepped in to issue an official clarification. The railway authorities explained that the viral video is not from a regular passenger coach but from a special saloon coach booked commercially through IRCTC for over ₹3.08 lakh. The railways assured that no safety standards were compromised during the event.

In the viral video, a priest can be seen conducting the rituals with full arrangements inside the coach. According to Northern Railway, the special saloon coach was commercially booked on July 8, 2026, with an advance payment of ₹3,08,580. After completing all formalities, the coach was attached to the 12926 Paschim Express on July 10, 2026, for a one-way journey from New Delhi (NDLS) to Bandra Terminus (BDTS) in Mumbai. The railways emphasized that safety, security, and punctuality remain their top priorities and that no one was harmed during this private booking.

Saloon coaches in Indian Railways are a special category of carriages that can be booked for special occasions following specific rules and fee payments. They operate differently from regular passenger compartments, offering exclusive travel facilities for a limited number of people.

### Nandigram Express First AC Coupe Controversy
Before the Rudrabhishek incident, Indian Railways was already in the news over another viral video. On July 6, 2026, a newlywed couple traveling on the 11002 Nandigram Express under the South Central Railway booked a private decorator to surprise them by decorating their First AC coupe. When the train halted at Jalna station in Maharashtra, the decorator unauthorizedly entered the train and decorated the compartment with flowers, balloons, and 'I Love You' signs.

While the video was initially viewed as a romantic gesture, it quickly escalated into a severe security concern. South Central Railway clarified that the issue was not the decoration itself, but the massive security breach caused by the unauthorized entry of an outsider to conduct commercial activities inside the train. Taking immediate action, the railway suspended the on-duty staff member and ordered a departmental inquiry to investigate the lapse in security. Furthermore, a case was registered against the private decorator under the Railway Act for unauthorized entry, ticketless travel, and trespassing on railway premises.