They keep the city’s streets clean, but instead of receiving wages, they received abuses, attacks and even sexual assaults. Bengaluru's city sweepers, known as pourakarmikas, have been resisting the harassment inflicted by civic body contractors. The inhuman treatment meted out to them has forced them to hit the streets in protest.

The pourakarmikas, who are contract employees allege that they have not been paid wages for months. The contractors have been using abuse as a tool to deter these pourakarmikas. On 12 October, they threatened to rape a pourakarmika for merely demanding her salary.