A day after a video of a private recruiting firm in Kerala subjecting its underperforming employees to degrading punishments vent viral, an India Today report on Monday said that a former manager had shot the video.
The report, quoting cops, said that the former employee had issues with the company owner and shot the video with the new trainees, claiming that it was a part of the training.
According to police, the alleged incident occurred in Perumbavoor near Kaloor where the firm is located.
‘Regular punishments’, say employees
The video showed an employee being walked around on his knees like a dog with a leash around his neck. Reports said that the employees were also made to lick coins from the floor.
Employees reportedly told a local television channel that those who failed to achieve targets were regularly punished by being forced to crawl on the floor or perform other humiliating acts, under instructions from the firm’s management.
Cops say former employee to be blamed
An India Today report said that according to the police, a former manager had shot the video. The now viral video was shot about four months ago. The said manager has left the company now. However, the police called the clip a deceptive video, the report added.
In a bizarre twist, even as the video went viral on social media, another set of employees reportedly claimed that the harassment allegations were fake. They told multiple news channels that they never faced such workplace harassment and claimed the videos were circulated to tarnish the company’s reputation.
Probe ordered
Kerala Labour Minister V Sivankutty reacted strongly, “I have ordered a probe into the incident and instructed the district Labour officer to submit a report in connection with the incident after carrying out a probe”, he said. He also described the claims as “shocking and disturbing”, adding, “It cannot be accepted at any cost in a state like Kerala.”
The incident has also drawn the attention of rights bodies. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission registered a case after receiving a complaint from High Court lawyer Kulathoor Jaisingh. Separately, the Kerala State Youth Commission has initiated its own inquiry and has directed the District Police Chief to submit a report.
The police have confirmed that while no formal complaint has yet been received, they are aware of the allegations. “No case has been registered so far and an investigation is underway,” an officer said. The owner of the Kaloor-based firm has denied involvement, claiming the alleged harassment may have occurred at a different company in Perumbavoor that used to market their products.
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