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Railway authorities at Sultanpur station in Uttar Pradesh seized 12 crates of unauthorised packaged drinking water from coach number 12237 of the Begampura Express after receiving a tip-off about suspicious supplies onboard. The Lucknow Division of Northern Railway shared the update on its official X handle on May 18, 2026, stating that officials took swift action to protect passenger safety and maintain quality standards.

Counterfeit Bottles Mimicked Popular Water Brand

Officials found that the bottles carried the label “Bellery”, a counterfeit name designed to resemble the popular packaged water brand Bisleri.

This is not the first such case. In May 2025, food safety officials seized 13,076 litres of fake packaged drinking water and sealed two units in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Authorities said the units operated without valid FSSAI licences and sold water under misleading labels such as “Bilseri” and “Blesri”. In another viral incident, a social media user spotted a bottle labelled “Bestie” instead of Bisleri.

Fake Packaged Water Can Pose Serious Health Risks

Experts warn that counterfeit or refilled water bottles may contain contaminated water, increasing the risk of vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, dehydration, and other waterborne illnesses. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has repeatedly highlighted contaminated water as a major source of several life-threatening diseases. Passengers should avoid purchasing water from unauthorised vendors and check packaging, seals, labels, and FSSAI details before buying bottled water during train journeys.

Source: NDTV