Bengaluru techie collapses after ‘Satan’ CEO’s ‘brutal’ verbal attack during work call

The employee claimed the executive, despite having “zero technical background,” micromanaged projects, set unrealistic deadlines and frequently erupted into “full-scale screaming sessions.”

A Bengaluru-based data scientist collapsed during a work video call after what he described as a “brutal” verbal confrontation with his CEO, reigniting concerns over workplace harassment in India’s start-up sector. The incident, which occurred just a week after he resigned, forced his mother to rush him to hospital as he struggled to breathe, News18 reported.

In a now-viral Reddit post, the employee - who joined the event discovery start-up in early 2024 - alleged enduring seven months of “psychological torture” under a CEO he referred to as “Satan himself.” He claimed the executive, despite having “zero technical background,” micromanaged projects, set unrealistic deadlines and frequently erupted into “full-scale screaming sessions.”

I had a complete breakdown during a work video call because my CEO kept screaming - still dealing with the trauma byu/energized_maverick inIndianWorkplace

“Every. Single. Day. This chap demanded I explain every minute detail of my work directly to him,” the techie wrote. “If my explanation wasn’t flawless, or if he couldn’t understand something technical, he would completely explode… destroy me both professionally and personally.”

The final confrontation reportedly occurred during a call excluding his reporting manager. “The verbal attack was so brutal… I completely collapsed in my chair,” he said, crediting his mother for saving him.

Even after resigning, he accused HR of acting vindictively, claiming they framed his medical emergency as “charity” for processing his final settlement and delayed his PF transfer to “jeopardise” future job prospects.

His post ended with a message to others in toxic workplaces: “Your mental health is infinitely more important than any salary. If someone consistently makes you feel worthless, the issue is with them, not you.”