'400 On Board And Only My Son Missing': Missing Navy Sailor's Mother Seeks Centre's Intervention

‘400 on board and only my son missing’: missing navy sailor’s mother seeks centre’s intervention

New Delhi: The parents of the Indian Navy sailor Sahil Verma, who has been missing for a week, have asked for a CBI probe into the events that have led to his “mysterious disappearance” at sea from an Indian naval ship. Verma went missing from the ship on February 27 and since then, a search operation has been underway to trace him.

His father Subash Chander and mother Rama Kumari have sought intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to secure the safe return of their missing son.

“It is astonishing that a soldier went missing from his naval ship and is not traceable. I have been told that the CCTV cameras installed on the ship did not find anyone falling into the sea. Then where is my son?” Chander told PTI at his home in the outskirts of the city.

The relatives and neighbours of the family have been making regular visits to support and pray for Verma’s safe return.

The Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command deemed the disappearance of the Indian Navy sailor as “unfortunate”, adding that a high-level board of inquiry has been ordered. “In an unfortunate incident, Sahil Verma, Seaman II, has been reported missing at sea from (an) Indian Naval Ship whilst on deployment since February 27, 2024. The Navy immediately launched a massive search operation with ships and aircraft, which is still continuing,” it said in a statement on X.

Further, speaking to PTI, Chander said, “We got a call on February 29 informing that our son went missing on board the ship two days before that…we last talked to him on Sunday (February 25) and nothing is known (about) what happened to him.” He added that he wants justice and also wants to know about his son’s whereabouts.

Verma’s mother has said something is being hidden about the disappearance of her son. “There were 400 people on board the ship and only my son went missing,” she said.

(With inputs from PTI)