Around 1,200 BSF personnel, who were assigned to provide security for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, refused to board a train from Udaipur to Jammu on Monday because the train was in a shockingly poor condition.
The jawans found the train so run-down that they outright refused to travel in it. A video showing broken windows, missing upper berths, and generally dilapidated coaches quickly went viral on social media. After this, the BSF raised the issue with Indian Railways, which promptly arranged a replacement train in much better condition.
The video also sparked a wider conversation online about how India’s security forces are treated. Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai shared the story on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “1,200 BSF jawans deployed for Amarnath Yatra security were supposed to travel from Udaipur to Jammu, but refused because of the poor condition of the train.” The BSF clarified that while they raised concerns with the railway authorities, there was no disturbance or unruly behavior. The matter was resolved professionally through official channels.
K K Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Frontier Railway, told The Print that the coaches seen in the viral video were not meant for passengers. They were actually maintenance coaches, marked clearly as non-passenger, intended for servicing and overhaul. Some Central Armed Police Forces personnel mistakenly boarded these coaches, causing confusion.
Once this mistake was discovered, the two coaches were removed from the train at Agartala. Sharma confirmed that all concerns raised by the CAPF personnel have been addressed, and the train has continued on its journey. The Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin later this month with tight security arrangements in place.
