Where Are Indian Railways’ Bedsheets and Towels Going? RTI Reveals Rs 104 Crore Linen Theft From AC Coaches

Passengers travelling in air-conditioned coaches on Indian Railways are used to getting a bedroll kit, free of cost, which includes bedsheets, a blanket, a pillow, a pillow cover and a face towel. But a new RTI-based investigation has revealed that a huge number of these items never come back to the railways.

According to an RTI investigation by The Indian Express, at least 1.27 crore linen items have gone missing from AC coaches between January 2022 and May 2026, resulting in an estimated loss of more than Rs 104.51 crore. The figures are based on information received under Right to Information (RTI) applications filed in 69 railway divisions and replies from 54 divisions in 16 railway zones.

The findings also reveal linen theft is a growing issue, with reported cases increasing by 56 per cent between 2022 and 2025.

Face Towels Top the List of Missing Items

The RTI data suggests that smaller items are the easiest to steal.

Here’s what disappeared between January 2022 and May 2026:

The missing items are estimated to have cost the Railways Rs 104.51 crore. The actual losses could be even higher as some railway divisions either furnished incomplete data or did not respond to the RTI, the Indian Express said.

The timing of the probe is important, as it comes at a time when Indian Railways has fully restored complimentary bedroll services suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost 8 lakh AC passengers receive these linen kits every night.

Which Railway Divisions Reported The Most Theft?

The RTI replies reveal that a few railway divisions account for the majority of linen thefts.

The divisions with the most missing linen items were:

The report said 10 railway divisions in seven zones accounted for nearly 67 per cent of the total reported theft.

The nature of theft also varied between regions. The most common items stolen were bedsheets in Bikaner, towels in divisions such as Delhi, Ranchi, Mumbai, Danapur, Ahmedabad and Jaipur, and pillow covers in Sonpur and Bilaspur. The most stolen item in Jodhpur was a blanket.

Some Divisions Witnessed A Steep Rise, While Others Managed To Push It Down

The data shows differing trends across the rail network.

Bikaner recorded the highest jump, with the missing linen increasing from 2.99 lakh in 2022 to 12.34 lakh in 2025. Sonpur also witnessed a significant increase during the same period.

Not all divisions were seeing their numbers deteriorate.

Linen theft in Delhi came down by 79 per cent and Ahmedabad and Samastipur also reported big declines.

The linen thefts in Tiruchirappalli and Palakkad divisions did not occur during the period. The Adra division also registered zero cases, as it does not operate AC passenger coaches.

Contractors And Coach Attendants Frequently Pay The Price

While the missing linen is the property of Indian Railways, the financial burden often falls on contractors who are responsible for providing and managing bedroll services.

Contractors say missing items are deducted from their payments and these deductions often trickle down to AC coach attendants.

A supervisor of a bedroll distribution firm in the Solapur division told The Indian Express, “The theft of linen is a real problem for us. A significant portion of the earnings is deducted from the bill for these cases. We had a three-year contract with the Railways, but we had to end it in 14 months due to delay in payment.”

An AC coach attendant working under East Central Railway also described the financial impact:

“There are seven attendants in this train, with each managing an AC coach. We are paid on a daily basis, and I get ₹700 for a day’s work. So, if I work for 30 days without a break, I am entitled to about ₹21,000 in a month. But that doesn’t happen because every month around 2,000-3,000 is deducted for linen theft.”

How Is Indian Railways Trying To Prevent Linen Theft?

“Serious concern” was expressed by a Ministry of Railways spokesperson over the theft of linen, and steps were being taken to prevent such incidents and take action against the offenders. The railways also “cannot establish” any evidence of staff collusion in these thefts, the spokesperson said.

To reduce the losses, Indian Railways has introduced a number of measures, like:

• CCTV cameras in new AC coaches;
• Coach Mitra app to help attendants track linen distribution
• Contractor Staff Police Verification
• Passengers’ reminders to turn in bedrolls before arrival at destination
• Some railway divisions have dedicated AC coach attendants
• Surprise checks by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and inspection of baggage in cases of suspected theft

The RPF has also reiterated that theft of railway linen is a non-bailable offence under the Railway Property Act.

But the RTI findings indicate that Indian Railways still faces a big operational challenge in preventing bedrolls from going missing. The rising losses indicate a need for better supervision and more public awareness of the protection of public property, as millions of passengers continue to travel in AC coaches every year.

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