A first-time train journey from Kerala to Varanasi turned into a nightmare for a young woman when she faced overcrowding and passengers occupying her reserved seat. What began as an exciting two-day trip
quickly turned into a stressful ordeal she could never have imagined.
The woman, who had booked her seat well in advance, was shocked to wake up and find other passengers occupying her berth. Despite repeatedly complaining to the rail guards and reaching out through Rail Seva, she said no one came to her aid. Frustrated and helpless, she took to Instagram to share her experience with social media users.
In a series of viral videos, she documented the unfolding chaos. What began with warm smiles quickly turned into a traumatic experience. As the train progressed, passengers started entering the reserved coaches, ignoring booked seats. Despite having her berth reserved for the entire two-day journey, people forcefully occupied it while she was lying in it.
‘Be Ready To Face Anything’
In another video, she revealed waking up in the middle of the night to a man trying to sit on her seat. The videos show her struggling to adjust while a family of four, including a woman and children, took over her seat. Despite her complaints, she was eventually moved to an upper berth, but the discomfort didn’t end there.
At 4 AM, she shared a chilling moment when a man tried to sit next to her on the edge of her seat. “Be ready to face anything while traveling to North. I sure can adjust this to some level! What else can I do? Nothing is gonna change,” she wrote in her caption.
Her posts highlight the challenges faced by female passengers, especially on long journeys through overcrowded northern trains.
However, in a post, she made it clear that her discomfort wasn’t about blaming men. She wrote, “I am not blaming men over completely, they might not have any bad intention, some do give me creepy looks but I can see the real situation of some too! They may never intend to do anything, but their presence and body language and senseless behaviour are making me discomfort.”
Further emphasising the rights of passengers who pay for reserved seats, the woman added, “And as I booked my own seat and paid, I have rights to ask!”
Video Sparks Widespread Debate
The woman’s videos have gone viral, sparking widespread debate on social media about train overcrowding, safety and respect for reserved seating. One of the comments read, “Not only in sleeper coach, even AC 2 coaches in Rajdhani are not spared.” Another added, “If the upper birth is only safe… We might need upper birth only train.” An individual said, “Forget luxury trains. First, teach people some civic sense, stop those who misuse tickets!”
Meanwhile, many users applauded the woman for speaking up and highlighting the overcrowding in the trains.
