๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ

เคญเคพเคฐเคคเฅ€เคฏ เคฐเฅ‡เคฒ / INDIAN RAILWAYS

Ministry of Railways, Government of India

IRCTC โ€” Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation

Rail Bhawan, New Delhi โ€“ 110001 www.irctc.co.in
RESTRICTED
PASSENGER
Effective Immediately
Order No. IR/2025/SEISMIC/001

OFFICIAL PASSENGER RESTRICTION NOTICE

โš ๏ธ SEISMIC SAFETY DIRECTIVE โš ๏ธ

Under Section 144 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989 & Railway Safety (Amendment) Rules, 2025

Ref: IR/SEISMIC/2025/PJ-001 Date: February 12, 2025
Subject: Permanent berth restriction for Passenger Panshul Jindal Classification: URGENT โ€” SAFETY
Related Litigation: Panshul v. Gravity, 2024 SCC 847 โ†— Supreme Court GoFundMe Ref: Campaign #PJ-GRAVITY โ†— GoFundMe
Cross-Reference: Incident #IR/RAJ/2023/4729 ยท PNR: 847-2024-6969 ยท IRCTC v14.2.36DD Recognized By: UNESCO Cultural Heritage (pending) ยท โ†— UNESCO

1. Background & Facts

This directive is issued following Incident Report No. IR/RAJ/2023/4729, wherein Rajdhani Express Coach B-4 (Train No. 12957, New Delhi to Ahmedabad) was evacuated mid-journey on September 14, 2023, due to "unexplained vibrations" subsequently traced to passenger Shri Panshul Jindal (PNR: 847-2024-6969) occupying Lower Berth No. 23.

Investigation by the Railway Safety Commission revealed the following:

ParameterNormal PassengerShri JindalVariance
Chest Mass0.3-0.5 kg14.2 kg+2,740%
Berth Vibration (sleeping)Negligible0.8 Hz continuousโ€”
Water Displacement (pantry car)Standard3.2x normal+220%
Adjacent Passenger Complaints047 (in one journey)โ€”
Structural Impact AssessmentPassFAIL โ€” berth bracket stress fractureCritical
Richter Scale Reading at 100mN/A1.2 (confirmed by IMD)Unprecedented
Pantry Staff Psychological TraumaNone2 staff on medical leaveโ€”
Children's Questions Asked0847 (across all incidents)Parents unable to answer

2. Incident Details

At approximately 02:17 hours on September 14, 2023, passengers in Coach B-4 reported "rhythmic shaking" that was initially attributed to track conditions. The Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) on duty, Shri R.P. Mishra, conducted the first inspection and recorded the following in his official field notes:

"I approached Berth 23 at 02:22 hours. The passenger was asleep on his back. The berth was... moving. Not the train โ€” I've been a TTE for 19 years, I know what track vibration feels like โ€” the BERTH was moving. Up and down, approximately 2 cm amplitude. I observed the source of oscillation and immediately radioed the Train Superintendent. In my radio call, I stated: 'Sir, there is a structural situation in B-4. I need you here. I also need a moment to process what I have seen.' I have since been offered counselling by the Railway Welfare Department. I accepted. My counsellor says I have 'vicarious seismophobia.' I say I have eyes."

โ€” Shri R.P. Mishra, TTE Grade II, Field Report IR/FN/2023/B4-RP, Entered at 02:31 hours

The Train Superintendent, Shri R.K. Verma, arrived at 02:29 hours and confirmed the following:

(a) The lower berth occupied by Shri Jindal had developed a visible bow of approximately 4.7 cm at the center point;
(b) The rhythmic vibrations corresponded exactly with the breathing-induced oscillation of Shri Jindal's chest, which Passenger Priya Kapoor (Berth 21) later described as "hypnotic yet terrifying, like watching the tide in an ocean that should not exist";
(c) The berth bracket bolts on the left side had developed stress fractures consistent with cyclic loading;
(d) The overhead luggage rack above Berth 24 had shifted 1.3 cm from its mounting due to sympathetic vibration;
(e) Three (3) passengers in adjacent berths had filed formal complaints of "feeling like an earthquake" โ€” one passenger, Pushpa Devi, subsequently filed a civil suit for "emotional distress and sleep deprivation";
(f) One (1) child passenger, aged 7 (Berth 25), had asked his mother: "Mummy, yeh uncle ke andar kya hai?" โ€” entered into the official record as Passenger Statement PS/B4/007. The child subsequently told his entire class at DPS Gurgaon. The school has received "inquiries";
(g) The pantry car chai, located two coaches away, was observed to have formed concentric surface ripples identical to the "water glass effect" in the motion picture Jurassic Park (1993, dir. Spielberg). Pantry Car Manager Mohammed Farooq locked himself in the pantry car and called his wife;
(h) The Indian Meteorological Department's Delhi seismic station registered a 1.2 magnitude micro-tremor at 02:17 hours, initially classified as "tectonic," subsequently reclassified as "mammary-induced." Meteorologist Arvind Kumar has since started issuing "chest-related weather advisories";
(i) Autorickshaw Driver Pappu, who was driving parallel to the train at a crossing, "stared for 30 seconds, turned off the meter, and drove away." He was subsequently cited as a witness in TTE Mishra's report;
(j) Panshul's Dog Biscuit was not present on the train but has since been mentioned in 14 academic papers about "canine seismographic sensitivity."

Following evacuation and structural assessment, Coach B-4 was taken out of service for 72 hours of emergency repairs. Total cost to Indian Railways: โ‚น4,78,000 (revised from initial estimate of โ‚น2,34,000 after discovery of additional hairline fractures in adjacent berths). Engineer Er. Preetika Singh from RITES Ltd. later calculated that Panshul's breathing during the 6-hour journey generated cumulative cyclic loading equivalent to "47 years of normal passenger usage."

3. Witness Statements (Excerpts)

๐Ÿ“‹ Witness Depositions โ€” Filed with Railway Safety Tribunal, Ref: RST/2024/WIT/B4

Smt. Pushpa Devi, Age 62, Berth 24 (Upper)
Retired school principal, Kota, Rajasthan ยท First casualty of the Jindal Incident

"I was sleeping peacefully when I felt my berth vibrating. My first thought was Pakistan had attacked. My second thought was earthquake. My third thought was โ€” why is it rhythmic? I looked down and saw the young man sleeping. He was on his back. His chest was... I don't have the words. In 62 years of life including 35 years in education, I have never seen anything like this. I climbed down and walked to the pantry car. The chai was shaking. The chai. In the cup. By itself. I called my son in Jaipur. He thought I was having a stroke. He's now convinced I was being dramatic. HE WASN'T THERE. The Panshul Spotify album references me by name in Track 5. I am Smt. Pushpa Devi. I am FAMOUS. I have been contacted by Times of India Reporter Priya Subramanian for an interview. I have 847 LinkedIn requests from structural engineers asking for my 'witness perspective.' I am 62. I want to retire properly."

Shri Ankur Bansal, Age 34, Berth 22 (Side Lower)
Senior Software Engineer, Infosys, Bengaluru ยท "The Data Guy"

"I'm an engineer. I deal with data. I timed the vibrations on my Apple Watch: exactly 0.8 Hz. That's the same frequency as a washing machine on spin cycle. My watch actually logged it as 'workout activity.' It recorded 847 steps between 02:00 and 03:00 while I was lying completely still. I've since been asked by my health insurance to explain 'the most active night of sleep in their database.' My Apple Watch screenshot is now Exhibit AW-1 in the Railway Claims Tribunal. Apple contacted me about using this data in their marketing. I declined. Then they offered money. I declined again. This is bigger than money. This is physics. Or something."

Shri Mohammed Farooq, Age 45, Pantry Car Manager
17 years of service, Rajdhani Express NR Division ยท "The Man Who Saw the Chai Dance"

"I noticed the chai first. At approximately 02:15, all beverages in the pantry car began displaying surface disturbances. I thought it was track quality. Then I noticed the disturbance was rhythmic. It was coming from the direction of Coach B-4. I walked through two coaches and followed the vibration to its source. When I arrived and understood the situation, I returned to the pantry car, locked the door, and called my wife. She asked why I was calling at 2 AM. I said, 'You won't believe this, but a man's chest is making the chai dance.' She hung up. She still thinks I was drunk. I have since been diagnosed with 'acute situational bewilderment' by a psychiatrist at Railway Hospital. I am on paid medical leave. The chai was fine."

Master Arjun Kapoor, Age 7, Berth 25
Class 2, DPS Gurgaon (accompanied by mother) ยท "The Innocent"

"Uncle ke andar kya hai?" [As recorded by mother, Smt. Ritu Kapoor, in Witness Statement PS/B4/007. The child subsequently asked 14 follow-up questions, none of which the mother could answer. The child has since told his entire class at DPS Gurgaon. The school has received "inquiries." The mother has consulted a therapist. The child has been asked to stop asking about "the uncle from the train" at family gatherings. He has not.]

Constable Dinesh Yadav, RPF (Railway Protection Force)
Escort duty, Train No. 12957 ยท "The Law Man"

"I was summoned to Coach B-4 at 02:35 hours for what was described as a 'potential security situation.' When I arrived and was briefed, I informed the TTE that this was not a security situation. He said, 'Constable, a man's breathing has caused structural damage to government property. If that's not a security situation, what is?' I did not have an answer. I still don't. I've applied for a transfer to station duty. The District Collector Anand Kumar has personally reviewed my transfer request and said: 'Entire micro-climate was disrupted.' I don't know what that means but it sounds serious."

Pappu, Autorickshaw Driver (Unofficial Witness)
Independent operator, Delhi-Ahmedabad sector ยท "The Unlikely Witness"

"Main toh bas road pe ja raha tha. Train ruki thi crossing pe. Main dekha โ€” ek side mein kuchh alag hai. Phir dekha. Phir dekha. Meter band kiya. Ghar chala gaya. Do din baad IRB officer aaya, bola 'tu witness hai.' Main bola 'main kya witness?' Bole 'tu ne train dekhi thi.' Main bola 'main toh rickshaw chala raha tha.' Bole 'phir bhi.' Ab mera naam official record mein hai. Main TV pe aaya tha Aaj Tak pe. Meri biwi kehti hai main famous ho gaya. Main kehta hoon main confused hoon."

Smt. Priya Kapoor, Age 28, Berth 21 (Side Upper)
Former girlfriend of Panshul Jindal ยท "The One Who Escaped"

"Yes. THAT Priya Kapoor. From the character bible. The ex-girlfriend. I'm real. I'm on a train. With my EX. Who has a chest that caused a 1.2 magnitude tremor. When we dated, I told people: 'I loved him for who he is. But the gravitational pull was suffocating. Literally.' They thought I was being metaphorical. I WASN'T. I was on the Side Upper because that's the only place I could sleep without feeling like I was being drawn into a gravity well. And I'm not even that small! I'm 5'6"! This was a mistake. Being on this train. Being in this relationship. Everything. My current therapist knows all about Panshul. She's part of the GoFundMe donor list. โ‚น1,420. She says it's 'research.'"

4. Expert Consultation

The Railway Safety Commission consulted the following experts:

"Shri Jindal's chest generates measurable oscillatory forces during all states โ€” including sleep. The breathing-induced bounce frequency of 0.8 Hz, combined with a chest mass of 14.2 kg, produces a resonant force sufficient to cause metal fatigue in standard railway berth brackets over a period of 4-6 hours. Lower berths are structurally inadequate for this load profile. I recommend immediate restriction. I also recommend the Guinness World Records be notified, though that is outside my professional remit."

โ€” Dr. Suresh Chakraborty, Professor of Structural Dynamics, IIT Delhi
Expert Testimony, Railway Safety Tribunal, Ref: RST/2024/EXP/003
"I have reviewed the engineering data provided by Indian Railways and cross-referenced it with data from AIIMS New Delhi (Case File AIIMS/CHEST/2022/PJ-36DD). The resonant frequency of 0.8 Hz falls within the natural frequency range of Indian Railways LHB coach berth brackets (0.6-1.2 Hz), meaning Shri Jindal's sleeping breathing pattern creates a near-perfect resonance condition. In simple terms: his chest was harmonically destroying the berth. This is not negligence. This is physics. And it is terrifying. I showed this data to my 14-year-old son. He asked if Panshul is a superhero. I said no. He said 'then he's a supervillain?' I said 'no, beta, he's just a man.' My son is now questioning everything."

โ€” Prof. Ashok Menon, Structural Integrity Laboratory, IIT Moob-bay
Supplementary Expert Report, Ref: RST/2024/EXP/005
โ†— Referenced in Guinness World Records Application GWR/2024/PJ-36DD
"I was asked by the Railway Safety Commission to assess whether standard berth modifications could accommodate Shri Jindal. After 3 weeks of analysis, my conclusion is: no. You would essentially need to rebuild the berth to bridge-construction specifications. The estimated cost per berth modification is โ‚น8,40,000 โ€” more than the cost of the entire coach's annual maintenance. My recommendation is the Side Upper, which distributes load differently due to its wall-mounted bracket system. I also recommend that nobody tell the media about this assessment. They already know. There's a Wikipedia article. How is there a Wikipedia article? I don't understand anything anymore."

โ€” Er. Preetika Singh, Consulting Structural Engineer, RITES Ltd.
Assessment Report, Ref: RITES/2024/IR/BERTH-MOD/PJ
"I am a seismologist. I study earthquakes. When I was asked to review the IMD data from September 14, 2023, I assumed it was a tectonic event. When I learned it was a chest event, I laughed. Then I saw the data. Then I stopped laughing. The 1.2 magnitude reading is genuine. The frequency analysis confirms biological origin. I have since classified 23 'Panshul events' in Japan alone. Each one coincides with his travel dates. Narita Airport banned him after the 3rd event. I don't blame them. Japan Meteorological Agency Director Sato issued a public apology for the 'false earthquake' before we understood what was happening. He has since retired. The agency now monitors 'unusual biological seismological signatures' as a new category."

โ€” Dr. Kenji Watanabe, Japan Seismological Agency
International Technical Consultation, Ref: JMA/2024/SEISMIC-IR
"As a radiologist, I was consulted about whether an MRI could help understand the internal structure. My machine returned 'Error: Object exceeds field of view.' I thought it was broken. I called a technician. He asked what I was scanning. I said 'a man's chest.' He laughed. I laughed. Then I showed him the images. He stopped laughing. I am Dr. Fatima Begum. I have seen 10,000 X-rays. I have never seen anything like this. My report was filed under 'Anomalous Findings Requiring Further Study.' That was 2 years ago. The study is ongoing. I have published 3 papers. I am now known as 'the chest radiologist.' This is my legacy."

โ€” Dr. Fatima Begum, AIIMS Radiology Department
Medical Expert Consultation (via Railway Medical Board)

5. Railway Minister's Official Response

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Statement from the Office of the Honourable Minister of Railways

Issued February 1, 2025 โ€” Ref: MoR/PRESS/2025/018

"Indian Railways is committed to the safety and comfort of all 8.4 billion annual passenger journeys. While we cannot comment on individual medical conditions, we can confirm that the Railway Safety Commission has issued certain berth-specific guidelines following a structural incident on the Rajdhani Express in 2023.

The Minister wishes to clarify that Side Upper berths are not 'punishment.' They are 'engineering necessity,' as confirmed by experts from IIT Delhi and RITES Ltd. Indian Railways has safely transported passengers with unusual requirements before โ€” including livestock, industrial equipment, and in one memorable case, a motorcycle (Lucknow Junction, 2019).

However, this is the first time Indian Railways has been required to modify its booking algorithm for a single passenger's anatomy. The IRCTC IT Division has confirmed that the system update (Release v14.2.36DD) was deployed on January 15, 2025, and is functioning correctly. We have also consulted with DUOLINGO (the language app) to develop a new language for communicating these restrictions to international passengers. This is called 'Panshulese.' โ†— Duolingo

We wish Shri Jindal well in his legal proceedings against gravity. Indian Railways takes no position on the matter, though we note with interest that the Supreme Court dismissed his PIL (ref: Panshul v. Gravity, 2024 SCC 847 โ†— Court). Gravity remains, to our knowledge, undefeated in Indian courts. We also note that his GoFundMe has raised โ‚น47,38,269, which is impressive but does not change the laws of physics."

โ€” Office of Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon'ble Minister of Railways

6. Order

In light of the above, and in the interest of passenger safety and structural integrity of rolling stock, the following restrictions are hereby imposed on Shri Panshul Jindal (Aadhaar: XXXX-XXXX-8847) with immediate effect:

6.1 Shri Jindal is PERMANENTLY RESTRICTED to Side Upper (SU) berths only on all classes of Indian Railways coaches. This restriction supersedes any Tatkal quota, senior citizen preference, or medical emergency allocation;
6.2 Lower Berth (LB), Middle Berth (MB), and Upper Berth (UB) allocations are PROHIBITED for the said passenger on all routes;
6.3 Side Lower (SL) berths are PROHIBITED due to proximity to corridor foot traffic and associated seismic risk to passing passengers;
6.4 The IRCTC booking system (Release v14.2.36DD) shall automatically assign SU berths only when PNR is linked to the said passenger's Aadhaar. The system has been trained to recognize his Aadhaar number as "the special one" in internal documentation;
6.5 In the event that SU berths are unavailable, the booking shall be placed on the RAC (Restricted Anatomical Clearance) waitlist โ€” a new waitlist category created specifically for this case, with purple confirmation status;
6.6 Shri Jindal is required to wear industrial-grade mammary support (minimum 7-hook, titanium alloy) for the duration of all railway journeys. Compliance to be verified by the TTE at the time of first ticket check. Tailor Irfan's certification is acceptable;
6.7 The Pantry Car manager shall be notified when Shri Jindal is aboard, and all beverages shall be served in sealed containers only (to prevent spillage from oscillatory forces). Chai Wallah Bunty, who sold 847 cups during the Supreme Court hearing, has volunteered to serve Panshul personally on all journeys;
6.8 An emergency engineering team shall be on standby for any train on which Shri Jindal holds a confirmed reservation. The standby team is authorized to request train stoppage at any station if structural integrity concerns arise;
6.9 Adjacent berths (within 2 berths of Shri Jindal's assigned SU) shall carry a mandatory disclosure notice at the time of booking, reading: "This berth is within vibratory range of a passenger with documented oscillatory characteristics. Indian Railways accepts no liability for sleep disturbance, psychological trauma, or existential questioning.";
6.10 Shri Jindal shall not be permitted in the Pantry Car during operating hours, following the "dancing chai" incident of September 14, 2023. Mohammed Farooq has been consulted on this and approves;
6.11 In AC First Class, Shri Jindal may be assigned a 2-berth cabin only if the adjacent cabin is vacant or occupied by consenting passengers who have signed Waiver Form IR/WV/2025/SEISMIC. Priya Kapoor has pre-signed a perpetual non-consent form;
6.12 The "Sthan Gana Mana" Spotify album (AI Parliament Productions, 2026) shall NOT be played on the train PA system, regardless of passenger requests. This clause was added after an incident on the Shatabdi Express where a passenger played Track 5 ("Chuuchi Chuuchi") on a Bluetooth speaker and Shri Jindal was not even aboard, yet the coach still developed sympathetic vibrations at 0.8 Hz. โ†— Spotify
6.13 Postman Mohan is to be notified whenever Panshul travels, as "two letters for same address" confusion has occurred 14 times when deliveries were attempted at his destination;
6.14 Autorickshaw drivers within 5km of any station where Panshul disembarks shall be given advance warning through the "Rickshaw Sangh" WhatsApp group. Autorickshaw Driver Bablu has been appointed liaison;
6.15 Panshul's Dog Biscuit is prohibited from railway property following an incident where the dog attempted to use Panshul's chest as a "platform" while waiting on the platform, causing a 15-minute delay.

7. Appeal

This order may be appealed before the Railway Claims Tribunal, New Delhi, within 90 days of issuance. However, the Railway Safety Commission notes that the laws of physics are not subject to appeal.

Shri Jindal's legal team (Sr. Counsel R.K. Mammaswamy, funded via GoFundMe Campaign #PJ-GRAVITY โ†— GoFundMe) has indicated their intention to appeal. The Railway Claims Tribunal has pre-emptively reinforced the witness stand. Court Clerk Dinesh has filed 847 pages of evidence. He has developed carpal tunnel. He is billing the GoFundMe.

"We can modify berth assignments. We cannot modify gravity. The Side Upper is the only structurally viable option. We have consulted four independent engineers, one temple priest, and the Duolingo Owl (via their new Panshulese course). The engineers agree. The priest said he would need to consult a higher authority. The Owl just said 'Sthan Gana Mana' in a weird voice. We are still waiting for the priest."

โ€” Shri V.K. Tripathi, Chairman, Railway Board

8. Precedent & Historical Context

This is the first individual-specific berth restriction in the 172-year history of Indian Railways. For context, the Railway Safety Commission has compiled a table of all previous extraordinary passenger accommodations:

YearIncidentAccommodationOutcomeCost to IR
2019Motorcycle transported in sleeper berth (Lucknow Jn.)None โ€” passenger fined โ‚น5,000Motorcycle confiscatedโ‚น5,000 (revenue)
2017Live goat in AC 3-Tier (Jaipur-Mumbai)Goat given SL berthGoat rated 3.5 stars on Google Reviewsโ‚น2,400 (cleanup)
2015Chinese Acupuncturist Dr. Wei โ€” needles triggered metal detectorHand inspectionFound additional needles in baggageโ‚น847 (delay costs)
2012Passenger with 47 kg luggage (Kolkata-Delhi)Excess luggage chargePaid โ‚น2,400โ‚น2,400 (revenue)
2025Panshul Jindal's chest (14.2 kg)Permanent SU restriction, IRCTC code update, engineering standby, beverage protocol, adjacent berth disclosure, Panshulese language training, Wikipedia monitoring, seismic monitoringOngoing โ€” most complex accommodation in IR historyโ‚น31,80,000+

9. Financial Impact Assessment

The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) has been notified of the following costs arising from the Jindal Incident and subsequent accommodations:

ItemCost (โ‚น)Notes
Coach B-4 emergency repairs4,78,00072-hour out-of-service period; included stress analysis by Geologist Dr. Elena Vance
IRCTC software update (v14.2.36DD)12,50,000Custom passenger restriction module; intern codenamed "Operation Bosom Shield" (HR removed this)
TTE R.P. Mishra counselling (ongoing)1,20,000/yearRailway Welfare Dept. approved; includes family therapy for his wife
Pantry Car Manager M. Farooq โ€” stress leave85,0002 weeks paid medical leave; he requested 6 weeks
Legal consultation (Railway Claims Tribunal)3,40,000Pre-emptive case preparation; Sr. Counsel R.K. Mammaswamy billing the GoFundMe indirectly
Witness stand reinforcement (RCT)47,000"Precautionary" โ€” built to handle 200 kg dynamic load
Seismic monitoring equipment (2 coaches)8,60,000Per Railway Safety Commission directive; linked to IMD early warning system
Panshulese language course development2,14,000Joint project with Duolingo; includes 14 vocabulary words for chest-related concepts
Wikipedia monitoring service84,700/yearContracted with WikiScanner to track edits; 847 deletion attempts recorded
TOTAL (to date)33,78,700Excluding future standby costs and potential appeal litigation
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ
Shri V.K. Tripathi
Chairman, Railway Board
Ministry of Railways
Shri A.K. Mehta
Director General
Railway Safety Commission
Dr. Suresh Chakraborty
Expert Consultant
IIT Delhi
Shri R.P. Mishra
TTE Grade II (Witness)
"I saw what I saw" โ€” also on Spotify
Er. Preetika Singh
Structural Engineer
RITES Ltd. โ€” "I recommended the SU"
Cartoon depiction of railway platform chaos as Panshul's train arrives โ€” porters running, TTE R.P. Mishra weeping, chai cups vibrating
Figure 1: Artist's impression of Platform 4, New Delhi Railway Station, September 14, 2023, 02:17 hours. Porters are seen fleeing. The TTE (center, weeping) has just received the radio call. Chai cups on the platform show visible surface ripples. Autorickshaw Driver Pappu (background, right) is already turning off his meter. Panshul's train has not yet stopped. The platform is already vibrating at 0.8 Hz. (Artist: Anonymous platform vendor; commissioned by Railway Museum for "The Seismic Era" permanent exhibition)

ADDENDUM A โ€” IRCTC IT DIVISION DEPLOYMENT NOTES

Ref: IRCTC/IT/2025/REL-v14.2.36DD โ€” For internal circulation only

Release v14.2.36DD was deployed to production on January 15, 2025, at 03:00 IST (chosen to minimize passenger impact). The following system modifications were implemented:

A.1 New passenger flag: BERTH_RESTRICTION_SEISMIC โ€” a boolean field that, when TRUE, restricts berth allocation to SU only. Currently applicable to exactly one (1) passenger in the entire IRCTC database. The flag is internally nicknamed "THE FLAG" in all caps.
A.2 New waitlist category: RAC-ANATOMICAL โ€” "Restricted Anatomical Clearance." This waitlist operates independently of standard RAC and has a separate queue. Current queue size: 1 (Panshul, waiting for a train on which SU is unavailable). Panshul has been on this waitlist for 47 days. He tweets about it daily. His follower count has doubled.
A.3 New notification trigger: When PNR linked to flagged Aadhaar receives confirmation, automatic SMS sent to: (a) Pantry Car Manager of the assigned train, (b) Engineering standby coordinator of the relevant zone, (c) TTE of the assigned coach, (d) Postman Mohan (for delivery coordination), (e) Chai Wallah Bunty (volunteer protocol). SMS text reads: "ALERT: Seismic-flagged passenger confirmed on your service. Refer to Protocol IR/SEISMIC/2025/PJ-001. Godspeed."
A.4 The development team has noted, for the record, that this is the first time the IRCTC booking system has been modified for a single passenger's thoracic measurements. Lead developer Shri Rajiv Kapoor stated: "I've been coding railway systems for 12 years. I've handled tatkal crashes, festival surges, and the entire demonetization payment system migration. This was harder. Not technically โ€” emotionally. My mother asked what I do at work. I said I 'maintain booking systems.' She said 'that sounds nice.' I did not mention the 14.2 kg."
A.5 New feature: When Panshul's PNR is viewed in the IRCTC app, a special animation plays. It is not documented. It is not listed in release notes. It exists. We don't talk about it.
A.6 Integration with DUOLINGO: The system now recognizes "Panshulese" as a language option for customer service calls. Panshul has completed 47 lessons. His streak is impressive. His mother is confused.

Version note: The release was internally code-named "Operation Bosom Shield." This name has been formally removed from all documentation following HR review. The code name "Project Newton's Nightmare" was also rejected. The final official designation is "IRCTC Enhanced Passenger Accommodation Protocol v14.2.36DD โ€” Special Case Handling." Nobody calls it that. Everyone calls it "The Panshul Update."

ADDENDUM B โ€” PERSONAL STATEMENT OF TTE R.P. MISHRA

Filed voluntarily with Railway Welfare Department ยท Not part of official record ยท Included here at Shri Mishra's request ยท Copy to his therapist

"I, Raghunath Prasad Mishra, TTE Grade II, Northern Railway, service number NR/TTE/2004/1847, wish to add the following personal observations to the official record.

I have been a Travelling Ticket Examiner for 19 years. I have checked lakhs of tickets. I have seen fake IDs, bribed attempts, people hiding in toilets, people hiding under berths, and one man who presented a photocopy of someone else's face glued to his own Aadhaar card.

Nothing prepared me for Berth 23, Coach B-4, September 14, 2023.

When I first noticed the vibration, I thought: track quality. When I reached Coach B-4, I thought: loose coupling. When I looked at Berth 23, I thought: what am I looking at. When I understood what I was looking at, I thought: I need to call someone. When I called the Train Superintendent, I could not find words. In 19 years, I have never been unable to find words.

I now understand that Shri Jindal is a good man with a medical condition. I bear him no ill will. He was polite when we woke him up. He apologised. He said it happens. HE SAID IT HAPPENS.

I have since been featured on Track 17 of the Spotify album 'STHAN GANA MANA' โ†— Spotify without my consent. The song is titled 'Side Upper Only (The Restriction Blues).' It is credited to 'TTE R.P. Mishra & The Rajdhani Survivors.' I did not agree to form a band. I do not know who 'The Rajdhani Survivors' are. My wife thinks it's funny. She plays it at family functions. My supervisor does not.

I remain committed to my duties. I have requested that all future Rajdhani assignments exclude trains on which Shri Jindal holds a reservation. This request has been approved. My therapist says this is 'avoidance behavior.' I say it's 'common sense.'

Signed,
R.P. Mishra
TTE Grade II, Northern Railway
February 8, 2025"

Editor's note: Shri Mishra has since been invited to the TED Talk โ†— TED as a surprise guest. He declined. He was then invited to the film premiere of "Seena: The Untold Story." He declined. He was then invited to be a technical consultant for the biopic. He is considering it. His wife is pushing for yes.

๐Ÿ˜ข COLLATERAL IMPACT โ€” Parties Affected by the Jindal Incident

The following individuals and entities have suffered measurable harm (financial, emotional, or structural) as a result of the September 14, 2023 incident:

๐Ÿ“บ Media Coverage & Response

The Jindal Incident received unprecedented media coverage for a railway safety event:

๐ŸŽค TED Talk Connection

Panshul Jindal was invited to deliver a TED Talk titled "The Weight of Expectations (And Also My Chest)" in December 2024. The talk directly referenced the Railway Incident:

"At 02:17 AM on September 14, 2023, I was asleep on the Rajdhani Express. I was dreaming about being a normal person. Then I was being woken up by a TTE who was crying. Not tears of joy. Tears of structural concern. My breathing โ€” just my normal, unconscious breathing โ€” had caused a 1.2 magnitude tremor. The berth beneath me had developed a 4.7 cm bow. The chai two coaches away was dancing. I am not a superhero. I am not a villain. I am a man with 14.2 kg of thoracic destiny. And I just wanted to get to Ahmedabad."

โ€” Panshul Jindal, TED Talk, December 2024

The talk has 14.2 million views. The comments section has been disabled twice due to "inappropriate structural engineering debates." It has been referenced in 3 academic papers and 47 Reddit threads. TTE R.P. Mishra was invited as a surprise guest but declined. His wife attended anyway. โ†— TED

๐ŸŒ International Railway Coordination

The following international railway authorities have been notified of the Jindal Case and have issued their own advisories:

"In my 40 years of international railway coordination, I have never seen a single passenger trigger this level of cross-border safety protocol. The only comparable case was a circus elephant in 1987, and that was a circus elephant. This is a man. With a shirt.">br>โ€” International Railway Safety Inspector General (Retd.)