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Family of seafarer killed in Black Sea drone attack refuses last rites over martyr status, other demands
Gupta’s mortal remains reached his ancestral home in Shastri Nagar on Wednesday evening, nearly three weeks after the family learnt of his death. His elder brother, Manish Gupta, and brother-in-law, Shobhit, brought the body from Delhi by ambulance after it arrived in the capital from Moscow aboard an air ambulance earlier in the day.
The family of 30-year-old Merchant Navy chief officer Sagar Gupta, who was killed in a drone strike on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea on July 18, refused to cremate his body after his mortal remains reached Kanpur on Wednesday, demanding martyr status, a government job for his wife and ₹2 crore in compensation.
Gupta’s mortal remains reached his ancestral home in Shastri Nagar on Wednesday evening, nearly three weeks after the family learnt of his death. His elder brother, Manish Gupta, and brother-in-law, Shobhit, brought the body from Delhi by ambulance after it arrived in the capital from Moscow aboard an air ambulance earlier in the day.
The family said since officials had not given them any concrete assurance on their demands, the body had consequently been kept in a deep freezer at the family home.
“We had sought martyr status, a government job for his wife and ₹2 crore in compensation for his children. We will take the body for cremation only when these demands are met,” Manish said. He also claimed that the family had requested a tricolour from the government but was not provided one.
Gupta was serving as chief officer aboard the merchant vessel MV OMORFI, which was sailing towards Russia when it came under a drone attack. According to his family, Gupta had just reached the upper deck when the strike hit, killing him on the spot.
His niece, Pooja Gupta, said the family wanted him to be accorded martyr status. “My uncle must be given the status of a martyr,” she said.
The family said they first learnt about Gupta’s death from one of his friends over the phone. They had since been waiting for his mortal remains to be brought back to India.
The July 18 attack took place as MV OMORFI was sailing in the Black Sea, reportedly within Russian territorial waters. The vessel had 10 crew members, including three Indians. Gupta was the only Indian sailor killed, while the other two Indians were reported safe.
Gupta is survived by his mother, Rama Gupta, wife Shalu Gupta, five-year-old daughter Gauri and seven-month-old son Krishna.
