Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- CJP is holding its second major protest at in New Delhi on Saturday
- Supporters of the viral “cockroach” movement are calling for Pradhan’s ouster over alleged exam irregularities
- Abhijeet Dipke wrote an open letter to Indian PM Modi highlighting the cases of student suicides due to exam stress
- Palestinian embassy calls on India for urgent medical aid amid deepening crisis
- Indian boy killed in NYC horse carriage accident
Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google.
This is a roundup of the top stories in India on Saturday, June 20:
Skip next section Indian boy killed in NYC horse carriage accident06/20/2026June 20, 2026
Indian boy killed in NYC horse carriage accident
Horse carriage rides in Central Park in New York City were put on hold temporarily on Friday after an 18-year-old Indian boy was killed in an accident.
Romanch Mahajan died on Wednesday after suffering a head injury when he jumped from a horse-drawn carriage that ran out of control in a park without a driver.
The carriage driver had gotten off to take a photo of Mahajan’s family when the horse suddenly ran causing Mahajan’s mother to fall off. He jumped out in an attempt to help her, his father told The New York Times.
The family was in NYC to celebrate the young boy’s recent high school graduation.
According to India media reports, Mahajan’s family is from the northern state of Punjab.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his call to end horse carriage rides in Central Park as the roads are now populated with joggers, cyclists, pedestrians and motorized scooters. Mamdani’s said his administration would “deliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5FkSzSkip next section Palestinian embassy calls on India for urgent medical aid amid deepening crisis06/20/2026June 20, 2026
Palestinian embassy calls on India for urgent medical aid amid deepening crisis
The Palestinian Embassy in India on Friday called on India for urgent medical aid in the face of a deepening healthcare crisis in the Palestinian territories, according to media reports.
The embassy said in a statement that the medical system in Gaza and the occupied West Bank is nearing collapse amid the ongoing conflict and financial pressures. Palestinians are left facing an “unprecedented humanitarian and public health catastrophe.”
The statement said “only 19 out of 36 hospitals remain partially operational under extremely limited emergency conditions,” citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
Amid overcrowded displacement camps, poor sanitation and shortages of clean water, the embassy warned of increased risks of disease outbreaks and malnutrition, particularly among children.
The statement added that the healthcare sector in the occupied West Bank was also facing funding shortages.
The embassy asked India to extend help under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aarogya Maitri initiative which promises “essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.”
“If not India and the Indian people; then who? If not now; then when?” the statement said.
There has been no response from the Indian government yet.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FkSPSkip next section Cockroach Janta Party returns to Delhi with fresh protest against education minister06/20/2026June 20, 2026
Cockroach Janta Party returns to Delhi with fresh protest against education minister
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is holding its second major protest in New Delhi on Saturday, as it pushes for the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Supporters of the viral “cockroach” movement are calling for Pradhan’s ouster after reported exam irregularities, reflecting deep frustration among young people with corruption and failures in the education system.
This comes after hundreds joined CJP protests in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow and Amritsar. Earlier this month, the capital witnessed CJP’s first big protest with hundreds in attendance.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the CJP, asked each person to bring a plate and spoon along, posting on his X account that “the cockroaches too will make their voices heard by banging thalis (metal plates) at Jantar Mantar.”
In 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for Indians to bang pots and pans in support for doctors, nurses and other workers involved in the fight against coronavirus.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk is expected to attend the protest.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
CJP urges Modi to remove education minister
On Friday, Dipke wrote an open letter to Modi highlighting the cases of student suicides due to exam stress.
“Over the recent weeks, we have tragically lost 11 young students to suicide,” Dipke wrote. “All that we students want is to see some accountability for the loss of lives.”
“By acknowledging that Dharmendra Pradhan has destroyed India’s education system and by taking decisive action to replace him… you will be demonstrating to the nation that you possess the strength and resolve to enforce true accountability in this country,” the letter said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FkGjSkip next section Welcome to our coverage06/20/2026June 20, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Hello! This is Shakeel from DW’s New Delhi Studio bringing you the latest news from across India.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for supporters to gather at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to continue protests to demand the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over reported exam irregularities.
The Palestinian Embassy in India requested New Delhi for urgent medical aid, in a statement, as its healthcare sector is on the verge of collapse.
Meanwhile, police in Manipur arrested 10 people for violence, looting and robberies in the strife-torn region in northeast India .
For all this and more, follow our live blog throughout the day.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FkEcShow more posts
About The Author
