Kolkata: In a startling incident, passengers of Sealdah-bound Duronto Express complained of stale and low quality food served by the pantry staff, on Sunday.
A section of the passengers of the train first agitated inside the running train, as it was travelling from Puri to Sealdah, claiming that they had been served stale food for dinner on Saturday night, leading to some people falling ill.
According to the passengers who were travelling in the train, 23 persons, including some children, fell ill after consuming the chicken in the dinner. Passengers staged agitation at Sealdah station after the train arrived there early on Sunday morning.
They also demonstrated in front of the station manager and also lodged a complaint with the senior railway officials. It has been learnt that around 23 passengers, who were from Baduria and Swarupnagar area in Basirhat, had alleged that the chicken curry that was served to them was half cooked. The chicken was not cooked well, while the chapattis were rotten, alleged the passengers.
It was also alleged that many of them, including children, started vomiting after having the food. Some of the elderly passengers who had consumed the food, had complained of upset stomach, they claimed.
They urged the on-duty pantry staff to give them curd and rice, which they refused. As a result of this, some of the passengers lodged a written complaint with the Eastern Railway authorities, after the train reached Sealdah at around 4 am.
Senior officials tried to pacify the passengers, who were staging demonstration at platform number 9A.
Railway police and RPF rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. The senior officials assured them that the matter would be looked into.
"An enquiry has been ordered into the complaint and action will be taken against the food supplier if the allegation of serving stale and cold food is found to be true," a senior official of Eastern Railways said.