Navy sailor from Jammu missing since February 27, family seeks CBI probe

PTI

Jammu, March 3

The parents of Navy sailor Sahil Verma, who has been missing for almost five days, on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to his “mysterious disappearance” at sea from a naval ship while on deployment. Verma, a seaman in the Navy, went missing from the ship on February 27 and a massive search operation has been launched to trace him.

His father Subash Chander and mother Rama Kumari, who live in the Ghou Manhasan area of Jammu, have sought the intervention of PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to ensure 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 asked at his residence on the outskirts of the city. Relatives and neighbours of the family are making regular visits to express their support and praying for Verma’s safe return. Terming the seaman’s disappearance as unfortunate, the Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command has said a high-level board of inquiry has been ordered. Expressing resentment over the sketchy information shared with the family, 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.”

“We want the government to hand over the case to the CBI for a thorough probe. He was on duty and is missing,” he added.

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

Gautam, a maternal uncle of the missing seaman, said his disappearance is a fit case for a CBI probe.

#Central Bureau of Investigation CBI #Indian Navy #Jammu