A heated confrontation among female staff at an HDFC Bank branch in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has exploded into a social media storm after a video went viral. In the footage, one employee is heard declaring, ‘I’m a Thakur,’ amid escalating tensions.
The incident unfolded on January 6 when former bank employee Ritu Tripathi arrived at the Panki branch around 9 AM to submit her resignation. Observing a fast that day, Ritu had planned a quick visit, intending to return home within hours for her rituals. She was accompanied by her sister-in-law, who stepped into the washroom where employee Aastha was present. The door wasn’t locked, sparking a minor dispute.
According to Ritu, Aastha refused to acknowledge any oversight and reacted furiously when her sister-in-law suggested locking the door next time. What began as a trifle snowballed as Aastha allegedly taunted her throughout the day, remarking, ‘She’s not on my level; we don’t deal with such people,’ and demanding she be thrown out.
Unable to calm the situation, Ritu called her husband, Rishi Mishra. Upon arrival, Rishi inquired about the matter from his sister and another staffer. That’s when Aastha reportedly confronted him aggressively, hurling abuses and threatening, ‘I’m a Thakur; I’ll thrash you right here.’
Ritu expressed dismay, stating, ‘Being a Thakur doesn’t mean assaulting someone.’ She noted many Thakurs she knows respect Brahmins like herself but chose not to invoke her own caste amid the chaos, emphasizing zero tolerance for exploitation.
Rishi recounted how his wife faced mockery from morning, with unprintable slurs forcing her resignation under duress. Despite completing formalities, she was detained till evening in front of visiting branch heads. He denied provoking Aastha on caste lines, insisting she introduced it herself. A near-miss with a thrown laptop underscored the volatility, while the cluster head allegedly watched from his cabin before intervening threateningly.
The video captures Aastha’s alleged casteist slur and aggressive demeanor, drawing widespread outrage. As investigations loom, this episode spotlights workplace toxicity and caste friction in corporate India.