Indian Railways has reported a sharp rise in linen theft from AC coaches. RTI data shows that 1.27 crore bedroll items went missing between January 2022 and May 2026.
The stolen items include 46.54 lakh face towels, 41.13 lakh bedsheets, 23.59 lakh pillow covers, 12.95 lakh blankets, and 2.76 lakh pillows. Theft cases increased by 56% from 2022 to 2025.
The estimated loss has reached ₹104.51 crore. Contractors usually bear the cost first. Many attendants say the amount is later deducted from their salaries.
Bikaner division recorded the highest theft with 25.76 lakh missing items. Ranchi and Delhi followed with 9.31 lakh and 8.21 lakh items. Towels were the most stolen item in several divisions, while blankets were the main target in Jodhpur.
Indian Railways has introduced CCTV monitoring, the Coach Mitra app, staff verification, and passenger awareness measures to reduce theft. Some divisions also assign one attendant to each AC coach.
Interestingly, Tiruchirappalli and Palakkad divisions reported no linen theft during the same period.