False: Migrant Labourers Travelling In Special Train Wasted Food

A video of migrant labourers throwing away food packets from a moving train in West Bengal's Asansol station is viral with false narratives including that they refused to accept food from the government. The video is being shared with several false claims including some which say the incident happened in Maharashtra.

The video shows an express train leaving Asansol station and several open food packets strewn all over the platform. The people on board the train can be heard protesting and complaining, while the person recording the video, ridicules the administration for the food that was served to those travelling. 

Several posts on Facebook and Twitter, express anger at the labourers and misleadingly accuse them of throwing away food, being provided by the government and undermining the relief and rescue efforts.

 The video is viral in Marathi with a similar narrative. 

BOOM also received the video on its helpline number for verification. 

Fact Check 

BOOM was able to ascertain that the video is from Asansol in West Bengal. We found another video being shared where the person recording it can be heard saying that they were served stale and smelly food at Asansol station.

In the second video, the person recording it says that they have come from Kerala where they were served "good food" but here at Asansol, the food is inedible. The person in the video says, "See what kind of video is being served here (Asansol). We came from Kerala and have been served good and clean food and the food here is stinking,"

The same was confirmed in a news report by The Quint, which said the video was shot from a special train that was bringing back migrant labourers from Ernakulam (Kerala) to Danapur (Bihar). The passengers complained of stale food being served to them. 

The West Bengal correspondent of Times Now also shared the above video where agitated passengers can be heard describing the quality of food that was served to them on arriving to the Asansol station. The person shooting the videos shows how the co-passengers were throwing the food packets on the platform because it "unbearable to eat them"

The verified Twitter handle of the Divisional Railway Manager (Asansol) also clarified that the incident occurred on May 4. According to the tweet, alternate arrangements were made at the Jhajha station of Bihar. 

BOOM has reached out to the Eastern Railways PRO for a comment. The article will be updated as and when he responds.