The ₹104 Crore Souvenir Crisis: 1.27 Crore Linen Items Stolen From AC Trains
Public Lokpal
July 13, 2026
The ₹104 Crore Souvenir Crisis: 1.27 Crore Linen Items Stolen From AC Trains
A shocking Right to Information (RTI) report has revealed that over 1.27 crore ($12.7$ million) linen items were stolen from Indian Railways’ AC coaches between January 2022 and May 2026.
The stolen items—including 46.54 lakh face towels, 41.13 lakh bedsheets, and over 12 lakh blankets—have resulted in a massive financial loss exceeding ₹104.51 crore.
While regional preferences vary—Bikaner tops the list for stolen bedsheets, whereas Delhi and Mumbai see a high theft rate for towels—the human cost is the most troubling.
The financial burden of these losses is often unfairly docked from the meager salaries of the coach attendants.
To combat this "souvenir culture," railways are enforcing strict deboarding checks, requiring passengers to return linen 30 minutes before arrival. While divisions like Tiruchirappalli reported zero thefts, the crisis highlights a persistent, costly civic challenge.