IndiGo Trainee Pilot Alleges Casteist Abuse by Senior Colleagues, Sparks Debate on Workplace Discrimination

Trainee Pilot’s Shocking Allegations at India’s Largest Airline

A storm is brewing at IndiGo Airlines after a trainee pilot, Ashok Kumar, 35, accused three senior colleagues of hurling casteist insults at him. The incident goes far beyond the usual work stress—Kumar claims he was told, “You are not fit to fly an aircraft, go back and stitch slippers,” and, “You’re not even worthy to lick my shoe” during a meeting at the airline’s Gurugram office on April 28. It wasn’t a one-off, according to Kumar; he says the comments targeted his identity as a member of the Adi Dravida community, recognized as a Scheduled Caste.

The men accused—Tapas Dey, Manish Sahni, and Captain Rahul Patil—are all senior in the pilot training hierarchy. Kumar says the abuse wasn’t limited to words. He alleges he faced persistent discrimination: unexplained cuts from his stipend, demands for extra retraining sessions without evidence of poor performance, and warning letters that he believes were nothing more than corporate retaliation. He made internal complaints—to higher-ups and the airline’s ethics committee—but says nothing ever changed.

Zero FIR and Workplace Fallout

Fed up, Kumar took matters into his own hands and filed a police complaint. Since Kumar lives in Bengaluru, he started there, registering a "Zero FIR" at Sampigehalli police station. This type of report is standard for cases with jurisdiction elsewhere but needing urgent attention. Officials transferred the case to Gurugram, where the events took place, and it landed at the DLF Phase-I station.

Police acted under India’s tough SC/ST Act (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act), designed to fight discrimination, along with relevant provisions of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita law. Neither the airline nor the accused have been formally charged yet, but the investigation is moving ahead.

So how did IndiGo respond? The airline says everything Kumar claims is “baseless.” Spokespersons insist IndiGo has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, points to its internal codes of conduct, and promises full cooperation with the authorities.

This case is making waves well outside of aviation circles. Issues of caste and workplace abuse, long considered taboo or brushed under the carpet, are now front and center again, sparking conversations in pilot forums, labour circles, and on social media.

• Kumar’s experience shines a light on the hurdles faced by marginalized groups even in high-skilled, exclusive fields like commercial aviation.
• The use of a Zero FIR shows how victims are turning to creative legal avenues to push stalled grievances through India’s bureaucracy.
• Public attention is now focused not just on the criminal side but on whether major employers are really making good on diversity promises.

The outcome of this case could affect how India’s airlines and other big employers deal with anti-caste discrimination complaints in the future. For now, the question remains: Is the promise of an inclusive, merit-based workplace just lip service, or is it finally being put to the test?