A heated confrontation inside a HDFC Bank branch in Kanpur drew widespread criticism after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
The clip, allegedly shot at the bank’s Panki branch, shows an employee identified as Astha Thakur, a relationship manager, arguing with a male customer on the premises. In the now-viral video, the exchange appears to quickly escalate, with the employee allegedly using profanity. At one point, he is also seen holding up and pointing a laptop towards a customer in what many viewers described as an aggressive gesture.
What sparked the strongest reaction online is a statement the employee allegedly made during the altercation. He is heard saying, “I am Thakur, don’t mess with me.” The remark was criticized for its casteist implication and raised questions about behavior and professionalism in a customer-oriented workplace. The employee can also be heard hurling expletives during the altercation.
The video has since gone viral across platforms, prompting users to X-mark the bank and demand accountability. Several posts questioned whether such behavior was consistent with the customer service standards expected of a large private bank. Others called for management to investigate the incident and clarify what action, if any, will be taken.
One user wrote: “Those who want caste reservations to continue and seize opportunities of others cannot talk about someone who is simply proud of their caste. Hypocrisy at its height.”
“Therefore the law must be equal! Using such slang must also be considered a law,” wrote another user.
A user appealed to the bank: “@HDFC_Bank if this is customer behavior from you then better close our accounts and move to a better brand that has zero tolerance for this type of behaviour.”
“I don’t know about the caste but she is a banker. A banker who talks to his customer like that is strange and needs to be questioned,” wrote a fourth user.
“How do such people become bank employees. If there are no customers, there will be no banks. Arrogance has no place,” wrote a fifth.
“Caste should never be too figurative in the workplace, shocking…everyone has equal rights,” wrote a sixth.
Several users tagged HDFC Bank’s official handle on X and asked to file a complaint against the employee.
(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
