An RTI investigation conducted by The Indian Express has uncovered that at least 1.27 crore linen items have gone missing from AC coaches between January 2022 and May 2026. The missing items comprise bedsheets, towels, blankets, pillows, and pillow covers. The report further identified a 56 percent increase in linen theft from 2022 to 2025.
The newspaper submitted RTI applications to all 69 railway divisions. Responses were obtained from 54 divisions across 16 railway zones, although some divisions provided only partial information.
Theft of Towels Predominates
Among all the bedroll items, face towels were the most frequently stolen.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Face towels: 46.54 lakh
- Bedsheets: 41.13 lakh
- Pillow covers: 23.59 lakh
- Blankets: 12.95 lakh
- Pillows: 2.76 lakh
According to the report, the estimated value of the missing linen stands at ₹ 104.51 crore. Given that several railway divisions did not provide complete data, the actual loss might be even greater.
Divisions Reporting Highest Theft
The RTI responses indicated that a few railway divisions accounted for a large portion of the missing linen.
The divisions with the highest number of stolen items included:
- Bikaner – 25.76 lakh
- Ranchi – 9.31 lakh
- Delhi – 8.21 lakh
- Mumbai – 8.17 lakh
- Jodhpur – 8.09 lakh
- Ahmedabad – 6.94 lakh
- Danapur – 5.72 lakh
In total, 10 railway divisions across seven zones accounted for nearly 67% of the overall reported theft.
The report also revealed varying trends among divisions. In Bikaner, bedsheets were the most commonly stolen, while towels topped the theft list in Delhi, Ranchi, Mumbai, Danapur, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. Pillow covers were most frequently stolen in Sonpur and Bilaspur, whereas Jodhpur saw the highest theft of blankets.
Variations in Theft Trends
The most significant increase in linen theft was reported from the Bikaner division, where the number of missing items rose from 2.99 lakh in 2022 to 12.34 lakh. Sonpur also experienced a notable rise during this timeframe.
Conversely, Delhi reported a 79% decrease in linen theft. Ahmedabad and Samastipur also noted significant declines.
Interestingly, the Tiruchirappalli and Palakkad divisions recorded no incidents of linen theft, while Adra reported none due to the absence of AC passenger coaches.
Impact on Contractors and Attendants
Although the linen is owned by the Railways, contractors are tasked with its supply and management. The financial repercussions of missing items are typically recovered from contractors, who may deduct the amounts from the salaries of coach attendants.
A supervisor at a bedroll distribution firm in the Solapur division expressed to The Indian Express, “The theft of linen poses a significant challenge for us. A substantial portion of our earnings is deducted from the bill for these instances. We had a three-year contract with the Railways, but we had to terminate it in 14 months due to delayed payments.”
An attendant working in East Central Railway also shared the financial strain: “There are seven attendants on this train, each managing an AC coach. We receive daily wages, amounting to ₹700 for a day’s work. If I work for 30 consecutive days, I should earn about ₹21,000 in a month. But monthly deductions of around ₹2,000-3,000 for linen theft often occur.”
Railways’ Response
In response to the findings, a Ministry of Railways spokesperson acknowledged the issue as a ‘serious concern’ and stated, “We are making efforts to prevent linen theft and take action against offenders.” The spokesperson also mentioned that the Railways ‘cannot confirm’ any evidence of staff collusion in the theft.
To mitigate losses, the Railways has implemented measures such as CCTV cameras, the Coach Mitra app to track linen distribution, police verification of contractor staff, passenger reminders to return bedrolls prior to reaching their destination, and dedicated AC coach attendants in certain divisions. Additionally, the Railway Protection Force has stated that linen theft is a non-bailable offence under the Railway Property Act.
