Staff abuse at Kerala firm: Woman files fresh complaint; claims employer forced her to act like dog

Perumbavoor/Kakkanad: In a disturbing development regarding the alleged inhumane treatment of staff at a marketing firm in Perumbavoor, a new complaint has been filed by a female employee of the same company, claiming she was humiliated and forced to act like a dog.

According to the complaint filed by the Perumbavoor resident, she was forced to crawl like a dog and retrieve round pieces of paper thrown by the accused. When she refused, other staff members also protested. Following this, a case has been registered against Manaf, the former manager of the firm and a native of Vadakara, for outraging the woman's modesty.

Earlier, a video footage from the firm, which shows the employee being forced to crawl and follow commands like a dog, has sparked controversy.

However, the police and labour department have taken the stance that the actions may not qualify as workplace harassment but instead reflect a personal dispute. The Labour Officer of Ernakulam District, P.G. Vinoj Kumar, reported that the incident was a personal conflict between individuals.

Meanwhile, former employees have come forward to expose other instances of workplace abuse at the company. Complaints have been raised about the withholding of salaries and commissions for several months. Five former employees had filed a complaint with the Perumbavoor police on March 26, and they were advised by the police to approach the labour department for further action.

The video footage also shows other humiliating acts such as the employee being forced to retrieve coins from a water container and forcing to remove pants. However, the Police have revealed that the video was created by Manaf four months ago and circulated to target the former owner of the company.

The company, which operates under the name "Keltra" in Perumbavoor, buys essential goods at wholesale prices and resells them to households.

The police are continuing their investigation, and the Superintendent of Police (Rural), Dr. Vaibhav Saxena, confirmed that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the matter.