Indian authorities Wednesday ordered a probe after a dead lizard was found in a meal served on a passenger train in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

The lizard was in fact spotted by some passengers in a dinner box containing biryani (rice cooked with vegetable) served on Poorva Express, which was on its way to the Indian capital from the eastern city of Kolkata, Tuesday night.

After getting no initial response from the train staff in spite of repeated complaints, the passengers took to social media to inform Indian Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

The impact of the Tweet was that when the train rolled into Uttar Pradesh’s Mughalsarai station, the very next station, several senior officers and doctors came and gave medicines to passengers who were vomiting.

“The biggest concern was passengers’ health. Doctors inquired about their health and also prescribed medicine.

“A probe has been ordered and we will take strong action against anyone found guilty,” Kishore Kumar, a railway officer, told the media.

The incident came just days after the country’s top government auditor said in its report that food served on Indian trains is unfit for human consumption.

At some places, according to the auditor’s report, train food is cooked in polluted water and in unhygienic conditions.

NAN