Railway police and the Railway Protection Force have begun investigating after 20 thermocol boxes containing an estimated 1,286.35 kilograms of meat-like material were found at the washing-line yard of Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi. Samples have been collected to establish which animal the meat came from, as authorities investigate the consignment’s origin and intended recipient.
According to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR, the Railway Vigilance Baroda House unit alerted officials at around 9 am on November 8 after receiving information that suspicious material had arrived at the yard by train. Investigating officers and the station house officer reached the location after the alert.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Railway, B. Bharat Reddy said the material was packed in 20 thermocol containers. The total weight was estimated at approximately 1,286.35 kg. The consignment had been booked from Hyderabad under descriptions referring to mutton and meat and was transported on train number 12721, the Dakshin Express.
The discovery has led to an investigation into the documentation and movement of a large quantity of animal-product material through the railway system. Police are also trying to determine who booked the consignment and who was supposed to receive it. The report does not establish that the material was beef. Authorities have collected samples after a suspicion was raised that it could be beef, but the animal source remains unconfirmed.
A Forensic Science Laboratory team and a veterinary doctor were called to the site. Samples were collected in their presence, while the process was recorded on video under the electronic-evidence procedure. The involvement of both forensic officials and a veterinary professional is intended to establish the material’s identity through examination rather than relying on visual assessment at the yard.
The case also highlights the operational role of railway surveillance in identifying consignments that may require scrutiny after arrival. The initial information came from the Railway Vigilance unit, following which the Government Railway Police and the RPF joined the inspection and investigation at the station yard.
The material’s disposal will be taken up after samples have been collected and the necessary legal formalities completed, DCP Reddy said. Until the forensic examination establishes the animal source, the contents remain described by authorities as meat-like material or suspected meat. The police investigation is continuing into the booking records, the sender, the intended recipient and the exact nature of the consignment.
