The viral image shows Sourabh More lying on a footpath outside TCS’s Sahyadri Park campus in in Hinjewadi, Pune
A photo of a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) employee sleeping on the footpath outside the company’s Pune office has gone viral, sparking widespread outrage and raising questions about worker treatment in the IT industry.
The employee, identified as Sourabh More, claimed he was forced to live on the street after his salary was withheld despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue with the company’s HR department.
The viral image, which shows More lying on a footpath outside TCS’s Sahyadri Park campus, was first shared by the Forum of IT Employees (FITE) on social media platform X on Sunday.
#TCS pune employee protest outside TCS office in #hinjawadi
Summary of the Letter (by Saurabh More):
The employee reported back to the TCS Sahyadri Park, Pune office on 29th July 2025, but his ID is still inactive in TCS systems and he has not received his salary. In a meeting… pic.twitter.com/QQqK6v1jPS— Forum For IT Employees – FITE (@FITEMaharashtra) August 3, 2025
A handwritten letter placed beside him read: “I have informed HR I don’t have money and will be forced to sleep and live outside TCS on the footpath.”
According to a summary posted by FITE, More returned to duty at the Pune campus on July 29, only to find that his employee ID was inactive and his salary had not been paid.
He raised the issue with the HR team the following day, on July 30, but the matter allegedly remained unresolved. The image of him sleeping outside the office quickly spread across social media, leading to a wave of criticism directed at the IT giant.
FITE Maharashtra, which represents employees in the IT, BPO, KPO, and telecom sectors, expressed support for More, saying: “We stand in solidarity with the TCS employee protesting outside their Pune office for his pending salary. His courage to raise his voice in such dire conditions is commendable. However, salary delays and job-related issues should also be formally reported to the Labour Office. Protesting is a strong visual message, but combining it with a legal complaint strengthens the fight and compels accountability.”
In response, TCS issued an official statement, saying the situation arose due to “unauthorised absence” on the part of the employee.
