A photo of a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) employee sleeping on a footpath outside the company’s Sahyadri Park office in Pune has gone viral, prompting widespread public concern and a formal response from the IT giant.
Sourabh More, the employee, claimed that the company had withheld his salary for several months and that financial distress had forced him to sleep outside the office.
The Instagram page Being Punekar Official posted an image showing Sourabh lying on the pavement. Beside him was a handwritten note that drew attention to his situation.
In the note, he stated: “I have informed HR I don’t have money and will be forced to sleep and live outside TCS on footpath.”
The post quickly gained traction online, drawing attention from netizens and advocacy groups.
Employee’s Claims and Timeline of Events
According to Sourabh, he returned to work on July 29, 2025, but found his employee ID inactive and was unable to access internal systems like Ultimatix.
He claimed that the HR department gave him verbal assurances that his salary would be credited by July 31. However, the payment was never processed.
Sourabh staged his protest by sleeping outside the office premises. His action aimed to draw attention to his financial difficulties and the company’s failure to resolve the issue.
Eyewitnesses and social media users confirmed seeing him outside the office for multiple nights, with some expressing shock and sympathy over the situation.
TCS Issues Official Statement
In response to the growing public scrutiny, TCS issued a statement clarifying its position.
The company stated that Sourabh had been absent from work without receiving formal approval.
The company suspended his payroll in accordance with standard internal procedures.
“TCS is in contact with the employee and has provided him accommodation. We are supporting him in addressing his situation in a fair and constructive manner,” a company spokesperson told Hindustan Times.
The company emphasized that Sourabh had now reported back to work and requested reinstatement.
Public Reaction and Industry Commentary
The incident has sparked broader conversations about employee welfare, salary delays, and the mental health impact of financial instability.
The Forum for IT Employees (FITE) expressed its support for Sourabh through a formal statement of solidarity.
It also encouraged other affected employees to file complaints with the Labour Office to uphold accountability and pursue legal remedies.
Some social media users criticized TCS for how it handled the situation. Others urged the company to be more transparent in its corporate HR practices.
Comments ranged from “heartbreaking” to “no one should have to go through this,” reflecting the emotional resonance of the image and its implications.
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