New Delhi: In order to check the circulation of misinformation, the Railway ministry has taken tough action against individuals and groups of people circulating outdated and misleading videos on social media platforms.
Recently, the ministry said that some spurious profiles on sites like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube have been circulating old images of packed platforms, trains, and stations to instil fear among passengers during the festive season rush.
In the last four days, the Indian Railways, on its official social media channels, has recognised and marked over 20 of these videos as “old and misleading.” These videos were traced back to earlier years by officials and had no relation to the ongoing festive period. FIRs are now being lodged against the persons responsible for spreading the wrong information.
As per the top officials, the perpetrators are being arrested under Section 145(B) of the Railways Act, which deals with causing nuisance or disturbance in or in relation to railway property or in connection with the operation of railways. The section has a sentence of up to six months of imprisonment.
“The Railways will not tolerate individuals or groups trying to mislead the public or bring bad name to Indian Railways by spreading fake, doctored, or old material,” a senior official stated, reiterating the ministry’s zero-tolerance policy towards digital misinformation.
According to the official, the campaign also marks Indian Railways’ ongoing commitment to following clear lines of communication with passengers and upholding public trust amid the busy festive travel season.
Interestingly, the crackdown has caused a lot of online chatter. A number of users defended Indian Railways’ action, tweeting using hashtags like #YatriJihad to bring to light what they termed as politically motivated efforts to defame the system. A majority of these users alleged that the false content was being circulated by troll accounts solely for online popularity without even lodging formal complaints with Railway officials.
These officials have reiterated that whereas the Railways is open to receiving genuine feedback and grievance redressal, any attempt at disseminating misinformation—especially during peak season of passenger movement—will attract instant legal action.
The Ministry has also appealed to the public to get updates on train operations and passenger services only through official channels of communication.
The recent moves by Railways constitute a firm message against the rising threat of digital misinformation and indicate the government’s commitment to safeguarding both travellers and the institution’s integrity in the age of viral content and doctored narratives.