Kunal Kamra claims nearly 22,000 rail deaths in 2023; Railways “fact check” confirms 21,803
Netizens claim Railways’ response is not fact check, but ‘double verification’
New Delhi: Indian Railways’ social media fact-check account has responded to comedian Kunal Kamra’s claim in a viral video that nearly 22,000 people died in rail accidents in 2023, confirming the official figure as 21,803 and sparking widespread online trolling.
"Certain facts and footage in this video are misleading in nature and is an attempt to sabotage the image of Railways. Kindly refrain from sharing such misleading content," the Railways said in a post on X, attaching the comedian's pictures.
Kamra sought clarification on the reply, asking the Railways to point out the factual errors in his video. The subsequent response from the PSU provided detailed clarifications, leaving netizens surprised.
Kamra had claimed there were nearly 25,000 railway accidents in 2023, but the Railways clarified that the actual figure was 24,678 accidents. On his claim of nearly 22,000 deaths, the Railways confirmed the official count was 21,803 deaths for the year.
The post attracted widespread attention on social media, with users both trolling and debating the “fact check”. One user commented, “This is not fact check, this is double verification,” while another joked, “Are you dumb?” Others questioned the approximation, asking, “What is this fact check? Do you understand approximate?”
The Railways also addressed Kamra’s other claims. Regarding overworked loco-pilots with frequent night shifts, the Railways said the HOER law prescribes rest periods and working hours for them. Kamra’s statement that 400 track maintainers die annually was refuted, with the Railways clarifying that this figure is cumulative over several years and includes unrelated deaths.
On Kamra’s claims of numerous accidents due to signal failures, the Railways highlighted that there were 1,711 such incidents between 2004 and 2014, which fell drastically to 34 in 2023 and 10 so far this year. Signal failure details, it noted, are publicly available.
Refer to the details in the video for the correct facts.#IRFactCheck https://t.co/hdsfn2Wv3k pic.twitter.com/zYBW7SHiLC
— Railway Fact Check (@IRFactCheck) November 20, 2025
What? Are you defending or proving that what Kunal said was right? pic.twitter.com/DyIl0sSl5W
— Mayur Jadhav (@mayurjadhavpage) November 20, 2025
This not fact check, this double verification of claim 😂😂😂
— Galactus (@Galactsx) November 20, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
