Grief has enveloped Bhalu village in Hamirpur district’s Galore tehsil after news of the death of 23-year-old deck cadet Aditya Sharma, with residents describing the tragedy as a loss for the entire community.
As his family struggles to come to terms with the loss, the villagers are finding it difficult to accept that a bright, well-mannered and soft-spoken young man is gone. Aditya was the only child of his parents.
Aditya, a deck cadet on probation, was among three Indian crew members killed after the US military struck the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10.
“When the village came to know about the incident, everyone was left speechless. It is difficult to believe. The entire village is grieving. His death is a great loss to all of us,” said Sanjay Kumar, former pradhan of Hareta Panchayat.
Though Aditya completed his schooling in Jalandhar, the villagers fondly recalled his frequent visits to his native village.
“He was a well-mannered and good-natured young man. He was always focused on his studies and never got involved in unnecessary activities. I met him about a year ago when he had come to get his Aadhaar card updated,” Kumar said, adding that the villagers want his mortal remains brought home at the earliest.
{{/usCountry}}“He was a well-mannered and good-natured young man. He was always focused on his studies and never got involved in unnecessary activities. I met him about a year ago when he had come to get his Aadhaar card updated,” Kumar said, adding that the villagers want his mortal remains brought home at the earliest.
{{/usCountry}}Aditya was among the 24 Indian crew members on board the MT Settebello when it was targeted near the Strait of Hormuz. While 21 crew members were rescued by responding Omani forces, the young cadet and two other Indian sailors lost their lives.
“The last time I met him was in October. My nephew was his friend. He was friendly and respectful. In a village like ours, one family’s loss is shared by the entire community,” said neighbour Surinder Sharma.
Family members on Friday said that they had not yet received any information regarding when his mortal remains would be brought back. “I last saw him around Diwali last year. I had known him since childhood. We urge the government to ensure that his mortal remains are brought back as soon as possible,” said villager Raj Kumar.