Pune petrol pump owner faces threats over Christmas hats
In Pune, the owner of an HPCL petrol pump, Kavya Ladkat, was reportedly threatened by VHP and Bajrang Dal members because her staff wore Christmas hats at work.
The group showed up in person after calling her manager, demanding the hats be removed and insisting only Hindu customs should be followed at the station.
What happened next?
Ladkat recorded a video of the confrontation, which led the group to leave. She later suggested celebrating all festivals—offering to wear phetas on Padva and skullcaps on Eid—to keep things fair.
After she filed a complaint, police registered a non-cognizable offense against a local VHP leader but haven't filed an FIR yet.
The accused denied any threats, saying employees complained about being forced to wear hats.
Meanwhile, industry reps said wearing festive caps is pretty common at petrol pumps during celebrations.