Every night, lakhs of passengers travelling in AC coaches across India’s railway network are handed a bedroll kit with their ticket. For most, it’s a routine part of the journey. But not every item makes its way back.

Months after an investigation by The Indian Express highlighted the scale of bedroll thefts on Indian Railways, a viral video has brought the issue back into focus. The clip shows three men in a market casually draping what appear to be Indian Railways bedsheets over their shoulders like shawls. The white linen is clearly stamped with the words “WESTERN RAILWAY”, suggesting the sheets were taken from a Western Railway train.

The identities of the men and the exact location where the video was recorded were not known at the time of publication.

The viral clip echoes findings from The Indian Express investigation, which found that around 8 lakh AC passengers use railway-provided bedrolls every night. While most passengers return them after their journey, roughly one in every 1,000 travellers walks away with at least one item.

RTI data collected from railway divisions showed that between January 2022 and May 2026, more than 1.27 crore bedroll items were reported stolen, resulting in losses of over Rs 104.51 crore. The missing items included 46.54 lakh face towels, 41.13 lakh bedsheets, 23.59 lakh pillow covers, 12.95 lakh blankets and 2.76 lakh pillows.

Three men spotted in a market openly wearing Indian Railways bedsheets as shawls.

The white linen clearly bears the “WESTERN RAILWAY” marking. these bedsheets were stolen from a Western Railway train.

According to RTI data compiled across railway divisions, from January 2022 to… pic.twitter.com/IsEKca87v8

— Gems Of Railway (@GemsOfRailway) August 22, 2026

The video has sparked criticism online, with many calling it an example of poor civic responsibility.

“This is real shame!” one user wrote.

“Another example of Indian with ZERO CIVIC SENSE AND ETHICS,” read another comment.

“For civic sense problem,We need strict punishments, including caning, like Singapore .. indian railways paradise for this people,” another user wrote.

“Why can’t such persons be punished for stealing railway property to set an example for others and do random checks at stations!” another commenter asked.

One user even suggested introducing a refundable security deposit for the linen kits.

“Simple solution is railways should give it only upon a deposit of Rs 1000. Deposit returned only if all contents of the package are returnee without damage. PS: This is more of a mindset issue. I have seen ppl take pillow and blankets from international flights as well,” the comment read.