Viral Video: Employees made to ‘crawl on knees’ for poor performance; netizens react, ‘Future of India?’ | Watch

A video of the Kerala firm subjecting its underperforming employees to degrading punishments like being made to crawl on their knees like dogs and lick coins from the floor is going viral on social media, and the netizens are furious.

In the viral video, a leather belt was tied to a man's neck like a dog collar, and he was then crawled on the floor. Later in the video, two men can be seen half-naked in a room full of other employees.

Employees of the private marketing firm told a local television channel that, under instructions from the firm's management, those who failed to achieve targets were regularly punished by being forced to crawl on the floor or perform other humiliating acts.

Watch the viral video showing inhumane punishment here:

Here's how netizens reacted:

Netizens were shocked to see the viral video and wondered if this is what India's future holds. Some social media users were in disbelief and thought the video was made as a joke for an Instagram Reel.

“Slavery never got abolished. It just increased and legal,” said a user.

“Ye hai future of India?” asked another user.

“The company should be closed down at least for a year. Let them feel the pinch,” a viewer suggested.

“If this is true than immediately action should be taken by the company against such managers & legally by the government,” suggested another user.

“A daily wage labourer earns more than this!” exclaimed a user.

“Too many things are wrong here!” said another user.

“This seems to be some ragging scene of a college, look at them smiling!” a user pointed out.

“Someone must be making insta reels,” said another user.

Police says viral video is ‘deceptive’

According to a News18 report citing police, the viral video is actually deceptive.

The police said a former manager at the firm had a personal grudge against the owner and had allegedly deceived new trainees into participating in a humiliating exercise.

He allegedly recorded them without their consent. The video, the police said, was filmed about four months ago, and was now been made public.

The manager in question has since left the firm.

Labour Department launches probe

The state Labour Department has launched a probe into the allegations, which emerged through local media reports quoting former employees.

The incident is believed to be linked to a firm operating in Kaloor, with the alleged abuse taking place at a partner unit in Perumbavoor.

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 told Udayavani.

He also described the claims as “shocking and disturbing”, adding, “It cannot be accepted at any cost in a state like Kerala.”