SHOCKING: Vendors allegedly painting cucumbers green at Bihar's Katihar station; food safety concerns grow | Video
Bihar: A viral video from Katihar station in Bihar allegedly shows vendors applying green paint to cucumbers to make them appear fresher. This incident follows a recent ₹60 lakh penalty in the Vande Bharat curd contamination case, highlighting ongoing food safety issues within the Indian Railways.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsBihar video: A video going viral from the Katihar station in Bihar has brought in a lot of backlash regarding food safety in the country. In this video, it is claimed that women vendors are applying green paint to cucumbers to make them appear fresher before selling them to customers.
The viral video sparks concerns
The video showing this practice has been uploaded to different social media accounts and shows a woman applying a very vivid green colour to the vegetables.
Process: In the video, one woman is shown washing the cucumbers, while another woman applies an unidentified green substance to them.
Comparison: Viewers of the video could see a significant contrast between naturally dull cucumbers and those which have been painted with the solution.
Chemical nature unclear: While it is still unclear what the nature of the green liquid is, this has raised many eyebrows about the oversight of such practices by relevant government agencies.
Public reaction and health issues
Many social media users have expressed their concerns and outrage, urging railway authorities to take immediate action against the vendor who sells such unhealthy food items.
Safety needs: The users have strongly opined that poverty cannot be an excuse to put the health of citizens at risk; therefore, there is a need to implement strict laws against the vendors.
Skepticism: Some users have also criticised the situation and questioned whether the dye used by the vendor is a common food-grade colouring agent or an industrial-grade chemical.
Immediate action needed: A few other users tagged the Ministry of Railways and the food safety departments, stating that it is extremely unsafe for passengers travelling without their knowledge.
History of railway food quality problems
This case marks another addition to the list of food safety issues concerning the Indian Railway system.
Vande Bharat case: On March 15, 2026, a passenger travelling on the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express Train (Train No. 21896) reported finding worms in the curd being served in the train.
Strict punishment: After further investigations were conducted, the IRCTC company was fined ₹10 lakh, while the service provider was fined ₹50 lakh, in addition to being terminated from contracts.
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