Why was a puja allowed inside a moving train? Railways explains the viral video

A video showing priests conducting a puja inside a moving Indian train has become the latest social media flashpoint, with users questioning whether religious ceremonies are permitted on trains and whether railway rules are applied equally to everyone.

The footage, widely shared on X, shows a priest seated on the floor of a coach performing Hindu rituals while several devotees, many dressed in white, participate in the ceremony. Since the rituals appeared to be taking place inside a moving train, many users questioned whether the activity violated railway regulations.

Railways says it was a privately booked saloon coach

Responding to the viral video, Northern Railway clarified that the ceremony was not held inside a regular passenger coach. According to the railway zone, the event took place inside a private saloon car that had been commercially booked through IRCTC.

The Railways said the saloon coach was booked on 8 July 2026 after the party made an advance payment of ₹3,08,580. The coach was scheduled to be attached to Train No. 12926 Paschim Express for a one-way journey from New Delhi to Mumbai on 10 July, subject to operational feasibility.

A railway saloon is a special coach that can be hired under commercial rules and is equipped with facilities such as bedrooms, a dining area, a kitchenette and attached bathrooms. These coaches are separate from ordinary passenger coaches and are generally used for official purposes or private commercial bookings where permitted.

Railways says safety was not affected

Northern Railway also said that passenger safety, punctuality and security remained its primary responsibilities. It added that no one was injured during the journey and that the priest seen in the video was conducting rituals inside the privately booked saloon coach.

The clarification focused on the commercial booking and operational aspects of the journey but did not comment on whether religious ceremonies inside such booked coaches require any additional permissions beyond the booking itself.

Social media compares the incident with earlier controversies

Despite the clarification, the video triggered intense debate online.

Several users argued that if the coach had been legally booked for private use, the ceremony should not be viewed differently from any other private gathering held within the hired space.

Others questioned whether the same standards are applied across different communities and activities. Some users compared the incident with previous controversies involving people offering namaz on trains or with the recently viral "Suhagrat coach" video, where a First AC coupe was decorated for newlyweds. Critics argued that different incidents often receive different public and political reactions, leading to accusations of selective outrage.

Some social media posts asked whether religious practices by one community receive more acceptance than those of others, while others argued that the key issue should be whether railway rules were followed, regardless of the religion involved.

What remains unclear

While Northern Railway has explained that the rituals took place inside a commercially hired saloon coach, several questions remain unanswered:

• Whether railway guidelines explicitly permit religious ceremonies inside privately booked saloon coaches.
• Whether any separate permission was required for conducting the rituals.
• Whether the same rules would apply if similar ceremonies were organised by followers of other religions inside a booked railway coach.
• Whether Indian Railways has a uniform policy governing private events inside commercially hired saloon cars.

As of now, the Railways has not announced any inquiry or rule violation related to the incident, maintaining that the coach was legally booked and that passenger safety and train operations were not affected.