A passenger on the Vande Bharat Express travelling from Howrah to Ranchi slapped a waiter after mistakenly being served non-vegetarian food. The incident occurred on July 26 and was recorded by fellow passenger Kunal Verma, who shared the video on social media platform X.

The elderly passenger had ordered a vegetarian meal but received a non-vegetarian one instead. Unaware of the mix-up, he consumed part of the meal before realizing the error. Enraged, he slapped the waiter, prompting strong reactions from other passengers.

Co-passengers criticized the man's actions, demanding he apologize to the waiter, who was visibly upset. “Maafi maango (apologize),” they chanted, with some calling the man "oversmart" and expressing their disapproval of his behavior.

The incident quickly gained traction online, drawing widespread condemnation. Prakash Charan, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Eastern Railway, confirmed the food was served by mistake but noted the passenger did not consume it fully. The matter was eventually resolved onboard.

Social media users also weighed in, criticizing the elderly passenger for taking matters into his own hands and stressing that physical assault is unacceptable.