Man takes off pants to show piles surgery wound after boss refused leave. He still didn’t approve it

The video was recorded in Lucknow. In it, the loco pilot, Rajesh Meena, can be heard explaining that he was still in pain and unable to resume duty. (Image credit: @rajkamal405/Instagram)

A loco pilot in the Lucknow Rail Division was forced into an act of desperation after a senior official allegedly refused to grant him an extended medical leave after a piles surgery. According to the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), Rajesh Meena was recovering from a February 22 operation, but his request for leave was rejected as his boss, the Chief Crew Controller (CCC), asked for proof.

Frustrated, Meena walked into CCC Ratan Kumar's office with medical certificates, his medicines, and, as a last resort, took his pants off to show the still-healing surgery wound. Piles, or haemorrhoids, are swollen, inflamed veins in the anus that cause discomfort, pain, and bleeding. Even in the video, Meena can be heard explaining that he was still in pain and unable to resume duty.

The incident, recorded by colleagues and circulated through railway employee WhatsApp groups, triggered widespread anger among staff and netizens, who described the treatment as “inhuman.”

Shockingly, however, even after showing his wound, the loco pilot's leave was not approved, forcing him to approach a community union leader, who later took the issue to higher authorities. Leave was granted only after further intervention, Hindustan Times reported.

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Employee needed leave extension for still-healing wound

Union leaders said Meenat had initially been granted leave from February 22 to 28. Still, when his piles surgery wound did not heal, he approached the Railway Health Unit for an extension as per procedure. His request was allegedly refused by Kumar, prompting the extreme step.

AILRSA secretary general KC James called the behaviour “shameful,” noting that railway staff work round the clock to ensure trains run safely and families can travel during festivals — yet remain vulnerable to such treatment from the administration.

Broader pattern of employee distress

Railway workers across divisions reported that such experiences were not isolated. Several online reactions echoed that mistreatment and leave denial are common across the system, not limited to loco pilots.

“Some govt officers treat employees badly… this shows his frustration," said one Instagram user, while another added, “This is shameful. Where is the humanity? The employee is in pain, and even then, his sick leaves are not being approved?”

A few loco pilots also joined in and said that they too were facing the same problems despite being posted in different divisions. "I'm a loco pilot. Every division has the same situation," said one user.

“Not only loco pilots — this is a common problem for every railway employee," added another.

Several online users demanded strict action against Kumar.

Railway union demands accountability

Meanwhile, AILRSA has demanded action against the officer involved, arguing that medical certificates should be adequate for determining leave eligibility and that no worker should be compelled to undress to prove a surgical condition, Hindustan Times reported.

As of now, the Lucknow Division has not issued an official response to the allegations.