'I was fired for taking sick leave': Tech Mahindra employee protests outside campus

Hyderabad: A software employee staged a protest outside the Tech Mahindra campus in Dundigal on Thursday, alleging that she was wrongfully terminated after taking three days of sick leave to care for her ailing daughter.

The employee, identified as Bhavana, claimed she had been working with the IT company for around four-and-a-half months when her employment was terminated without prior notice or any valid explanation.

In a video circulating on social media, Bhavana said she had informed the company that she needed leave to look after her sick daughter. However, instead of being allowed to resume work, she said her services were terminated.

She further alleged that the company had previously subjected her to harassment while she was recovering from injuries sustained in a fall on the company premises. Bhavana said she had taken a 14-day medical leave following the incident, during which she allegedly received repeated emails asking her to return to work and warning that she could lose her job if she failed to do so.

Bhavana also accused the company of maintaining a hostile work environment, alleging that employees had to inform managers every time they left their desks, including to use the washroom.

She lodged a complaint with the Dundigal police, who confirmed that a complaint had been received and that a preliminary inquiry was underway. Responding to The Hindu, Tech Mahindra said it had initiated a review of the matter.
The development comes just months after the 2026 TCS Nashik BPO case, which involved allegations of sustained sexual harassment, stalking and forced religious coercion targeting several employees in Maharashtra. Following complaints from multiple women and a male colleague, Nashik Police conducted a 40-day undercover operation before registering nine First Information Reports (FIRs).