Parents Of Navy Sailor Missing Since Feb 27 Seek CBI Probe, Say Details Are 'Sketchy'

Navy sailor Sahil Verma, went missing from a naval ship on February 27 and a massive search operation has been launched to trace him.

Verma's father Subash Chander and mother Rama Kumari -- who live in the Ghou Manhasan area of Jammu -- have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for his safe return.

It is astonishing that a soldier went missing from his naval ship and is not traceable, his father told news agency PTI.

"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 said.

Terming the disappearance as "unfortunate", the Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command has said 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," the Western Naval Command's X post on Saturday read.

The missing sailor's father has found the information provided to them sketchy. He 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 said they want justice and want to know the whereabouts of his son.

"We want the government to hand over the case to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) 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," the PTI report quoted her as saying.