Did Loco Pilot Stop Train For Samosas? Railways Responds After Video Sparks Criticism

A video purportedly showing a loco pilot stepping off a train to buy samosas from a roadside shop beside the railway tracks has gone viral on social media, prompting a response from the Indian Railways. The clip shows a train halted near the Rangwasa Road area in Rau, close to Indore, while a railway staff member walks to a small eatery located beside the tracks. He is seen purchasing samosas before returning to the locomotive, after which the train resumes its journey.

The video was widely shared online with claims that it featured the loco pilot of the Indore-Mhow DEMU passenger train stopping the service to buy snacks. The claim quickly sparked criticism, with many social media users questioning whether a passenger train had been delayed for a personal errand. 

VIDEO | Indore, Madhya Pradesh: A video showing the loco pilot of the Indore-Mhow DEMU train stopping reportedly to buy samosas from a shop beside the tracks has surfaced.

Railways has ordered a probe after the video, which allegedly shows the train being halted for samosas,… pic.twitter.com/RX5HGS3uus

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 8, 2026

According to local reports, some residents alleged that trains frequently remain halted at the same location for several minutes and claimed that railway staff often buy snacks from the shop during these stoppages. As the video gained traction, Railway Public Relations Officer Mukesh Kumar said the matter had been brought to the attention of the authorities and forwarded to senior officials for investigation.

The Railways later issued a clarification on social media, stating that the viral claim was misleading.

According to the official explanation, the train seen in the video was not the Indore-Mhow DEMU passenger service but a goods train that had been halted at the Rau Home Signal because of engineering work being carried out in the Rau yard.

Dear Passenger ,

Goods Train CGPT, hauled by Loco Nos. 27237 + 27600, was stopped at the RAU Home Signal due to engineering work being carried out on the track in the RAU yard. During this stoppage, the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) was seen purchasing samosa and kachori. The train…

— DRM Ratlam (@RatlamDRM) July 7, 2026

The Railways further said the person seen buying samosas and kachoris was the Assistant Loco Pilot, who stepped out during the scheduled halt while the train was already stationary due to track maintenance. It stressed that the train had not been stopped to purchase food and that the video had been shared without proper context, leading to a false impression that a passenger train had been deliberately halted for refreshments.

"Goods Train CGPT, hauled by Loco Nos. 27237 + 27600, was stopped at the RAU Home Signal due to engineering work being carried out on the track in the RAU yard. During this stoppage, the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) was seen purchasing samosa and kachori. The train was not stopped for the purpose of buying food. A video of the incident has been shared with the wrong intention, falsely linking the stoppage to a passenger DEMU train," the Divisional Rail Manager, Ratlam Division explained on X.