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‘Indians live like cockroaches’: Viral crowded train video sparks backlash and debate online
The 20-second clip shows a man attempting to enter the general compartment of a packed train as it begins to move.
Image: X/@Gabbar0099
A short video showing an Indian commuter struggling to board an overcrowded train has gone viral on social media, triggering widespread reactions and commentary on the daily hardships faced by millions of passengers across the country, according to reports.
The 20-second clip shows a man attempting to enter the general compartment of a packed train as it begins to move. He is seen running from one door to another in search of space before eventually clinging to the train without a proper foothold, placing his life at serious risk during the journey.
Life of a common man in India ???? pic.twitter.com/hILbB3bJKH
— Gabbar (@Gabbar0099) January 3, 2026
While the exact location where the video was recorded has not yet been ascertained, the clip was shared on X with a caption stating it depicted the life of a common man in India. The post has since garnered more than seven lakh views, drawing strong reactions from users commenting on overcrowding, infrastructure stress and the lack of adequate public transport capacity.
Reacting to it, Canada-based analyst and India critic Jayant Bhandari wrote on X, "Indians live like cockroaches and die like cockroaches. They vote for bottom-of-the-barrel cockroaches as rulers, who rightly treat them as cockroaches. And cockroaches find my reference to them offensive."
Indians live like cockroaches and die like cockroaches. They vote for bottom-of-the-barrel cockroaches as rulers, who rightly treat them as cockroaches. And cockroaches find my reference to them offensive. pic.twitter.com/4XOoTeKykq
— Jayant Bhandari (@JayantBhandari5) January 4, 2026
The remark drew further attention to the video and intensified online debate, with many users condemning the language while others pointed to the clip as evidence of systemic issues faced by everyday commuters in India.
Another user said, "Really the saddest part is this isn’t LIFE OF THE COMMON MAN, it’s life in a railway system that has quietly normalised around 60 deaths a day from track falls and collisions, most of them caused by overcrowded, open‑door coaches."
Another user spoke about the significance of money and wrote, "This video teach us how important money is.."
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