A shocking incident inside the Lucknow Rail Division has sparked outrage among railway staff after loco pilot Rajesh Meena allegedly stripped before a senior officer to prove that his surgical wounds had not healed. The episode, captured on video and widely circulated across railway employees’ WhatsApp groups, has raised serious concerns about workplace dignity and the handling of medical leave cases within the railways.
The loco pilot has been identified as Rajesh Meena, a member of the Scheduled Tribe community, posted under the Northern Railway’s Lucknow Division. According to leaders of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), Meena had recently undergone surgery for piles but was denied an extension of medical leave despite medical advice recommending further rest.
Union leaders claim Meena had been suffering from piles for a long time. After unsuccessful treatment in Indore, he underwent surgery on February 22 in Lucknow. He was granted leave from February 22 to February 28 for the procedure. However, his wound reportedly did not heal within a week.
Following established procedure, Meena approached the Railway Health Unit to seek an extension of leave. According to AILRSA’s assistant secretary general Adarsh Kumar Gupta, the unit’s doctor examined him and acknowledged that he required more time to recover. The doctor, however, asked Meena to obtain a “sick memo” from his seniors before the leave could be extended.
Meena then approached the crew controller and later the Chief Crew Controller for the required memo. Union leaders allege that despite showing medical reports, prescriptions, lab test results including CBC, glucose and hepatitis screening, and even the bandages used at home, the senior officer refused to grant the memo.
Frustrated and reportedly left with no option, Meena removed his pants in front of the officer to display the unhealed surgical wound. Colleagues present at the scene recorded the confrontation. The video quickly spread across railway employee groups, prompting outrage and heated discussions.
K C James, secretary general of AILRSA, described the incident as deeply shameful. He questioned how a loco pilot responsible for transporting thousands of passengers safely could be forced into such humiliation just to secure medically advised rest. The union has demanded strict action against the Chief Crew Controller involved in the matter.
In another video recorded by colleagues, Meena can be seen narrating his ordeal in a stressed and emotional tone. He explains that he followed official procedures at every step but felt humiliated when his genuine medical condition was allegedly dismissed.
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After the incident, Meena reportedly approached a union leader from his community, who escalated the matter to senior officials within the division. According to union representatives, he was eventually granted leave for rest following this intervention.
The incident has intensified debate within railway circles about how medical leave requests are handled, especially in cases involving post-surgical recovery. Loco pilots operate under demanding schedules and carry enormous responsibility. Union leaders argue that denying adequate rest after surgery not only affects employee dignity but could also impact operational safety.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Divisional Railway Manager of the Northern Railway did not yield an immediate statement at the time of publication.
As the controversy grows, railway employees are closely watching whether administrative action will follow the outrage. For many, the episode is not just about one individual’s humiliation but about larger questions of respect, sensitivity and accountability within the system.