Rat Spotted In First AC Coach Of Indore-Daund Express; Mom Blocks AC Duct With Bedsheet To Protect 5-Month-Old

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Another case of rats running around in a train was reported on Monday. This time, the rats were accompanied by cockroaches, according to a passenger-- also the mother of a five-month-old girl.

According to information, passengers travelling on the Indore-Daund Express (Train No. 22944) complained about rats and cockroaches, raising concerns over the Railways’ cleaning and pest-control system.

One of the complaints was made by a woman travelling with her five-month-old daughter in the First AC coach.

A second passenger later complained to railway officials about cockroaches in a sleeper coach.

The passenger said rats repeatedly came out of the AC duct area during the nearly 16-hour journey.

Their movement made it difficult for passengers to sit or sleep comfortably. She also complained about cockroaches inside the coach.

To protect her baby, Dubey tried to block the opening near the AC duct by stuffing a bedsheet into it.

She questioned how a coach infested with rats and cockroaches was allowed to operate and who had cleared it for service.

Another passenger, who boarded the train at Ujjain, complained about rats and cockroaches in the sleeper coach.

He recorded a video of cockroaches moving around and sent it to the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ratlam.

2nd case in 10 days; Rat bit officer’s nose

On August 24, a similar incident was reported in which a rat allegedly bit the nose of an elderly passenger aboard the Una-Indore Express.

Following that incident, railway officials said monitoring of passenger safety, cleanliness and pest control would be strengthened.

According to the Ratlam railway division, special attention is being given to pest and rodent control during the primary and secondary maintenance of train rakes at the Indore and Mhow coaching depots.

Railway staff and contractors have also been warned of strict action for negligence.

However, fresh complaints from both First AC and sleeper coaches of the Indore-Daund Express have again raised questions about the effectiveness of these measures.