Caught on camera: TTE allegedly offers Rs 700 Vande Bharat ticket for Rs 380, Railways takes action
A TTE has been suspended after a viral video allegedly showed him offering a Vande Bharat Express ticket worth around Rs 700 for Rs 380. The clip sparked debate online, with railway authorities including Railway Seva and DRM Danapur later responding publicly to the incident.
A Travelling Ticket Examiner or TTE has been suspended by the Indian Railways after a video allegedly showing him offering a discounted ticket on a Vande Bharat Express went viral online.
The clip, shared by the X account Ghar Ke Kalesh, captured what looked like a conversation between the railway official and a passenger inside a train coach. Soon after the video surfaced, social media users began debating whether the TTE was trying to help the passenger save money or engaging in an unauthorised ticket arrangement.
Video shows conversation over ticket pricing
In the viral clip, the TTE could be heard speaking to a passenger about arranging a ticket during the journey. As the passenger continued recording the interaction, the railway official allegedly said that what the passenger was asking for was “not allowed”.
The TTE then appeared to explain that he could arrange the ticket for Rs 380, while the same journey would otherwise cost the passenger around Rs 700.
The passenger continued questioning the arrangement during the exchange, while the TTE stood near a berth and tried explaining the difference in pricing. The full context behind the conversation is still unclear, but many viewers online interpreted the clip as an attempt to offer a ticket outside the normal booking process.
Railways respond after clip goes viral
After the video gained attention online, railway authorities publicly responded to the matter in the comments section of the viral post.
Both Railway Seva and DRM Danapur acknowledged the issue online. The TTE was later suspended by the Indian Railways following the circulation of the video.
The incident quickly sparked wider conversations around transparency in railway ticketing, on-board ticket issuance and vigilance against unauthorised practices within the railway system.
Social media reactions, meanwhile, were all over the place. Some users criticised the alleged conduct and said such incidents strengthened concerns around corruption and misuse of authority in public services.
Others, though, reacted more casually and joked that this kind of behaviour had become fairly common. A section of users even suggested the TTE may have simply been trying to help the passenger secure a cheaper ticket instead of overcharging him.
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