A woman recently shared a disturbing experience online where a train ticket checker (TC) not only verified their ticket but subsequently tracked her down on Instagram and sent her a follow request.
The passenger expressed feeling “a little creepy” and worried about how private travel information was used. This has ignited a debate around privacy and safety in Indian Railways travel.
Privacy Violation Sparks Online Outcry
According to the passenger’s detailed Reddit post titled “TC checked my ticket and then my Instagram LOL,” she was unsettled when the TC, after checking thier ticket, found her Instagram profile, allegedly using her name from the reservation chart, and sent her a social media follow request.
They said, “Felt a little creepy honestly because that’s the private info passengers give for travel.” The post quickly gained traction, prompting many users to warn her against accepting the request. One advised, “No, don’t accept, please!! This is just straight-up creepy behaviour. If you accept it then you’ll get flooded by DMs.” Another added, “Sounds abnormal, and isn’t acceptable.”
Comments on the post reveal that this breach is not isolated; others shared similar unsettling experiences, highlighting the vulnerability passengers feel when staff misuse personal information.
Growing Privacy Concerns
The recent incident involving the ticket checker’s unsolicited social media follow request exposes a disturbing trend of encroachment on passenger privacy within Indian Railways.
Passengers inherently trust the railway system with sensitive personal data such as full names, ages, addresses, and travel details. Such information is expected to be used solely for booking and verification. However, with growing digitisation and easy access to reservation charts, this data is becoming vulnerable to misuse by employees.
This incident is not isolated. In recent years, Indian Railways has faced larger cybersecurity challenges, including a major data breach in 2022 where the personal information of over 30 million railway customers, including travel and billing histories, was reportedly hacked and put up for sale on the dark web. These breaches highlight glaring weaknesses in securing passenger data.
Wider Concerns Over Passenger Data and Safety
This incident strikes at the core of safety and privacy challenges within the Indian Railways system. Passengers share sensitive data such as names and ages with the expectation that it will be used solely for travel verification. However, the easy accessibility of this data to staff, and the growing use of social media, creates risks of misuse.
The person’s experience resonates with broader calls for stricter policies on data protection and proper staff training. Experts argue that maintaining professionalism and respecting passenger privacy is vital to ensuring safe travel, especially for vulnerable groups like women travellers, who may feel unsafe or harassed by boundary violations.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Logical Indian firmly believes that privacy, respect, and dignity are non-negotiable rights for all passengers. Public services like Indian Railways must ensure that the data entrusted to them is guarded carefully and that employees uphold ethical standards.
While technology connects us in new ways, it should never become a tool for breaching personal boundaries or creating fear. The incident underscores the urgent need for policy reforms that protect passenger information and improve accountability.
TC checked my ticket and then my Instagram LOL 👀
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