While passengers casually drop off railway towels and bedsheets without a second thought, these stolen items are far from free. For the bus attendants on duty, every missing piece of cloth translates into a direct deduction from their meager salaries. (file photo)
A video shared by YouTuber Naveen Singh showing Amit Yadav, the employee responsible for distributing and collecting linens at AC coaches, has gone viral on social media platforms. In the clip that has gone viral, Yadav talks about the financial burden he faces when passengers steal railway property or fail to return it. (Image: Instagram)
The host said that every missing item is deducted from his pocket – Rs 60 for a towel, Rs 250 for a bed sheet and Rs 700 for a blanket. Yadav recalled that he was once forced to pay Rs 500 out of his monthly salary of Rs 14,000 just to compensate for the lost linen. (Representative image: Pexels)
This experience made him more cautious, which prompted him to change the way he distributed towels and other items. Instead of placing them on every platform, he now distributes towels when passengers ask for one. (Representative image: Pexels)
The video sparked online conversations, with many calling for stricter accountability for passengers who steal railway property. (representational image)
According to reports, between January 2022 and May 2026, more than 1.27 crore pieces of linen from Indian AC coaches went missing, resulting in losses of over Rs 100 crore. (representational image)
