E-Paper
Gurdaspur youth’s body found in sea in Vietnam
Kin suspect it’s hate killing; say Lachhman Singh, 22, who worked in merchant navy, used to tell them that his co-workers often called him ‘Laden’
A 22-year-old youth of Dostpur village in Gurdaspur district, who was working in merchant navy in Vietnam, has died under suspicious circumstances.
The family of victim Lachhman Singh, whose body was found in sea, said they suspected the youth had been a victim of hate killing.
Victim’s father Jaswant Singh told HT that on November 26, he received a phone call from a Vietnam-based travel agent who told him that Lachhman had been missing for four-five days. Later on the same day, the agent told him that his son’s body was found in the sea. The same agent had arranged for his son’s visa to Vietnam in January this year, he added.
He said he contacted the Indian Embassy in Vietnam and an official confirmed that his son was found dead in sea and his body was being sent to India after conducting postmortem.
Jaswant said Lachhman had talked to him on November 25 and stated that the ship on which he worked had been lying in the shipyard for repairs for the last one-and-a-half months and the crew had to go out for food.
He also said that his son often told him that his Vietnamese co-workers used to tease him by calling him ‘Laden’ (Osama bin Laden) though he explained to them that he was a Sikh from India.
Jaswant alleged that Lachhman might have been a victim of hate killing. He said his son was scheduled to come home on leave in December.
Meanwhile, he appealed to Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol to intervene in the matter so that his son’s body is brought to India at the earliest for performing last rites.
