A street vendor selling snacks outside Patna Junction was allegedly harassed after a man took food from his tray, spat it back at him and then overturned the entire tray, scattering the vendor’s stock on the road.
A video capturing the incident has gone viral on social media, prompting users to call for action against the man. However, some social media users have also questioned whether the incident was staged.
The footage shows the vendor standing outside the railway station with his snack tray hanging from his neck with the help of a string. A man is seen approaching him and taking some of the snacks from the tray. After eating them, he appears to spit the food towards the vendor.
The situation then escalates as the man overturns the vendor’s entire tray, causing the snacks to fall onto the road. The vendor appears shocked by the incident and does not retaliate.
The act meant that the vendor was left without the stock he had been carrying to sell, potentially affecting his earnings for the day. The incident has since sparked criticism online, with several users urging the authorities to identify the man and take appropriate action.
One social media user who shared the video called for the man to be arrested, accusing him of using his perceived power to target someone who was economically vulnerable.
“Send this thug, who flaunts his masculinity by exploiting the helplessness of the poor, behind bars immediately,” the user wrote.
The user also identified the victim as a vendor selling chickpeas and puffed rice outside Patna Junction and tagged both Patna Police and Bihar Police. They urged the authorities to take cognisance of the incident, identify the person seen in the video and ensure that the vendor receives compensation for the loss of his food stock.
The video also prompted a response from Bihar Police. Replying to another post in which the footage had been shared and Patna Police had been tagged, Bihar Police wrote, “Please forward for information and necessary action.”
Patna Police subsequently responded that the complaint had been passed on to the concerned officer. “The notice has been forwarded to the concerned officer,” Patna Police said in its response.