Denied Leave, UP Loco Pilot Suffering From Piles Stages 'Pants-Off' Protest

Denied medical leave to rest after a piles surgery, a frustrated loco pilot in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow division pulled down his pants to show unhealed wounds to a senior officer.

In a video of the incident, Rajesh Meena was seen opening a packet of medicines, bandages and medical reports before Chief Crew Controller Ratan Kumar while voicing his frustration over being denied a medical leave. Alleging inhumane treatment, he is heard saying, "If you want to see the wound, I'll show it to you."

Meena had reportedly been suffering from piles for a long time and after getting treatment in Indore without success, he eventually underwent surgery on February 22 in Lucknow.

The protest came after Meena's request to extend his leave was rejected, even though he presented his medical report which stated that his surgery wound had not healed.

The loco pilot then approached a union leader of his community, who spoke to senior officers in the division, following which, he was granted leave for rest, per PTI.

Railway employees expressed outrage over the incident and demanded action. "It is so shameful that a loco pilot has to take off his pants before his senior to convince him for medical leave, and then he gets a refusal in return," K C James, secretary general, All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), said.

He added, "We work day and night to take people to their destinations so that they can celebrate festivals with their relatives and family members. Is this the kind of treatment we should expect from the Railway administration?"