A 35‑year‑old Scheduled Caste trainee pilot at IndiGo alleges caste-based harassment during a 30‑minute meeting at the Gurgaon office on April 28. He claims three senior officials – Tapas Dey, Manish Sahni, and Captain Rahul Patil – told him he was “not fit to fly” and should “go stitch shoes,” adding he wasn’t even “worthy of being a watchman.” He also reports unjust pay cuts, forced retraining, and warning letters, aimed at pushing him to resign. After complaints to higher-ups and the ethics panel yielded no result, he filed a zero‑FIR in Bengaluru. The case was transferred to Gurgaon, and an FIR has been filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. IndiGo has not responded yet. (PC: Mint & Getty Images)

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan will never be restored. In a June 21 interview with TOI, Shah said New Delhi will divert water previously shared under the 1960 treaty to Rajasthan, calling Pakistan’s access “unjustified”. India suspended the pact in April after a terrorist incident in Kashmir, which it blamed on Pakistan, though Islamabad denies involvement. The move halts access to water that supports roughly 80 % of Pakistani agriculture. Pakistan regards India's action as a violation and is exploring legal recourse. Plans include a feasibility study for a canal linking western rivers to Rajasthan. The treaty’s collapse worsens regional tensions despite a recent ceasefire. (PC: Business Today & The Print)

India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has ordered the removal of three senior Air India crew‑scheduling officials—Choorah Singh (VP), Pinky Mittal (Chief Manager), and Payal Arora citing “serious and repeated lapses” in licensing, rest, pairings, and roster oversight. These violations, voluntarily disclosed, included unauthorised crew pairings and exceedance of the 10‑hour flight‑duty time limit on Bengaluru–London flights on May 16–17. The DGCA also issued show‑cause notices to Air India’s accountable manager and warned of stricter enforcement including fines, license suspension or operational withdrawal if future breaches occur. Air India said it has complied by reassigning oversight to its COO and launching internal disciplinary proceedings. (PC: India Today & The Indian Express)

IndiGo flight 6E‑6764 from Guwahati to Chennai, carrying 168–170 passengers, departed around 4:40 pm IST. Shortly after entering Chennai airspace near its scheduled arrival at 7:45 pm, the captain issued a “Mayday” due to critically low fuel. Instead of landing in Chennai, the Airbus A321 crew diverted to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Airport, touching down safely around 8 pm. No injuries were reported, and passengers awaited refuelling before continuing. This emergency arose just a week after Air India’s Dreamliner crash on June 12, intensifying scrutiny of flight safety. The Civil Aviation Ministry promptly launched a review of in‑flight fuel protocols and crew rostering. (PC: Wikipedia & Indigo)

India’s civil aviation regulator, DGCA, has ordered the immediate removal of three senior Air India executives—including a divisional vice-president—from all crew scheduling duties, with internal disciplinary proceedings to be initiated within 10 days of the June 20 order . The action follows repeated, serious violations such as unauthorized crew pairings, lapses in licensing, rest, and recency norms, discovered during a system transition audit . DGCA also issued a show-cause for two flights in May where pilots exceeded the 10‑hour duty limit . Air India has complied, assigning its COO to oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre and affirming full commitment to safety protocols . The directive comes amidst heightened scrutiny following the June 12 Ahmedabad crash of Flight AI‑171. (PC: News 18)  

On June 20, 2025, Kolkata Police intercepted Union Minister and West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar while en route to meet UK‑based physician Dr Rajat Subhra Banerjee in Bhawanipore. The doctor, who previously challenged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a London lecture, was detained alongside Majumdar. Police alleged Dr Banerjee was “not at home,” but he later emerged, and both were held briefly before being taken to Lalbazar station and released without charges . The BJP accused the Mamata government of political vendetta and “state‑sponsored goondaism,” calling the detention an assault on democratic dissent . TMC defended the action, claiming it maintained public order amid provocations. (PC: ANI)

President Droupadi Murmu was moved to tears on her 67th birthday during her visit to the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD) in Dehradun. Visually impaired children sang a heartfelt song to wish her, prompting an emotional response. “They were singing from the heart,” she said. Murmu lauded their special abilities and urged them to pursue education confidently. Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami praised Murmu’s inspirational journey. Murmu, on a three-day Uttarakhand visit, will also inaugurate the newly renovated Rashtrapati Niketan and attend International Yoga Day celebrations.

Authorities in Ahmedabad have identified 220 victims of the June 12 Air India Flight AI‑171 crash via DNA testing as of Friday, June 20. The remains of 202 individuals—149 Indian, 7 Portuguese, 34 British, and 1 Canadian—have been returned to grieving families . Meanwhile, the Gandhinagar Forensic Science Lab continues its around‑the‑clock DNA profiling amid harrowing challenges, including severely damaged remains . International cooperation is in full swing: India’s AAIB leads the investigation with expert support from the US and UK agencies . Efforts persist to complete matching for the remaining victims and offer closure to families. (PC: AP)

Phone records reveal Sonam Raghuvanshi (24), arrested for her husband’s murder during their Meghalaya honeymoon, placed 112 calls between March 1–25 to a contact saved as “Sanjay Verma” who was actually her lover, police officer Raj Kushwaha using a fake identity . Long conversations spanned over a month, raising doubts about motive beyond a love triangle. The couple married on May 11 and vanished by May 23; Raja’s body was found June 2. Sonam, Kushwaha and three hitmen are in custody. Authorities probe whether financial or other motives were involved. (PC: HT PRINT)

Nabam Bapu and Likha Nana, a couple from Arunachal Pradesh, are revolutionizing tribal fashion through their startup, Arunachal Ivory and Ornaments. Using 3D printing, they create eco-friendly replicas of tiger jaws, eagle claws, and hornbill beaks to replace real animal parts used in traditional tribal attire. This innovation allows cultural traditions to thrive without endangering wildlife. Co-founded with Anang Tadar, the initiative received government support and promotes biodegradable materials. Their efforts aim to curb poaching while preserving tribal identity. “Preserving culture shouldn’t come at the cost of nature,” says Bapu, as the startup gains growing acceptance across tribal communities. (PC: The better India)