BSF Jawans Refuse to Board Filthy Train for Amarnath Duty; 4 Railway Officials Suspended

New Delhi/Guwahati, 11 June 2025: A controversy has erupted after around 1,200 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, scheduled to travel from Tripura to Jammu & Kashmir for Amarnath Yatra duty, refused to board a train due to its deplorable condition. The incident, which occurred on June 6, has led the Railway Ministry to suspend four officials of the North East Frontier Railway (NFR).

Broken Windows, No Lights, Cockroach Infestation
According to sources, the BSF jawans were assigned a train with damaged windows and doors, non-functional toilets, no lighting, missing seat cushions, and cockroach infestation. A viral video from inside the train shows broken windows, a missing wash basin in the toilet, and even parts of the roof falling apart.

The train’s coaches, reportedly unused for months, were not fit for long-distance troop movement. The BSF company commander, upon inspecting the train, immediately flagged the matter, calling it unfit for deployment transport.

Railways Provides Replacement After Uproar
After the personnel refused to board, the railway administration arranged a replacement train, which was dispatched on June 10. A senior NFR official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the train had been withdrawn following the BSF’s strong objections.

Congress Targets Centre Over Troop Treatment
The Congress party seized the moment to question the central government, posting the viral video on social media with the caption: “Will Prime Minister Modi travel in such a poor-quality train?”

Amarnath Yatra 2025: Security and Scale
This year’s Amarnath Yatra, beginning July 3 and concluding on August 9 (Raksha Bandhan), will be held for 38 days, reduced from 52 days last year.

In anticipation of the Yatra:
581 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are being deployed, with 42,000–58,000 soldiers stationed for security.
425 new companies are being deployed by June 10, in addition to 156 companies already on ground.
For the first time, mobile jammers will be used for convoy security.
Pony owners will be background-verified, and only those with clean records allowed.
Horses and mules have been digitally tagged for real-time tracking.

Bomb disposal squads, drone surveillance, and K9 units are being deployed as part of the enhanced security mechanism.

The Railway Ministry has yet to issue an official public statement on the suspension of its officials. The incident, however, has sparked a nationwide debate on troop treatment, public infrastructure, and accountability.