Kerala firm accused of ‘torturing’ staff, probe ordered

A private marketing firm here has been accused of subjecting its “underperforming employees” to degrading treatment, including making them walk on their knees like chained dogs and lick coins from the floor. Soon after its disturbing visuals were aired by local TV channels, the state Labour Department ordered a probe into the alleged inhuman workplace harassment.

The police and the Labour Department also launched separate investigations to ensure the authenticity of the visuals.

However, in a twist, the man purportedly shown in the visuals as harassed and tortured, told the media later that there was no workplace harassment in the firm, contrary to what was depicted in the footages.

“I am still working in the firm… these visuals were from some months ago forcefully taken by a person who was working as the manager of the institution then. He was later asked to quit by the management and he is now using the visuals to tarnish the owner of the firm,” he claimed.

He reportedly gave the same statement to the police and the Labour Department officials. Earlier in the day, Labour Minister V Sivankutty ordered an inquiry into the incident and instructed the District Labour Officer to submit an immediate report.

India