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'Murdered, organs removed': Wife of Indian sailor who died in Venezuela alleges foul play
She also alleged that the company's representatives were dismissive and failed to provide answers despite repeated requests.
The family of Indian sailor Rakesh Chauhan on Thursday alleged that he died under suspicious circumstances in Venezuela, accusing the shipping company of withholding crucial information and mishandling his remains.
Chauhan's wife, Ranjana, claimed that her husband was murdered and that his organs had been removed. She also alleged that the company's representatives were dismissive and failed to provide answers despite repeated requests, according to news agency ANI.
"My husband had gone to work on a ship; he was murdered there, and his organs were removed. To this day, they haven't given us a proper report, despite our repeated requests. They didn't even return his personal belongings; they wouldn't even speak to us properly; the company representatives were dismissive," she said.
According to a certification issued by the Embassy of India in Caracas on May 22, Chauhan died on May 7 in Punto Fijo, Falcon State.
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‘Not a single organ remained in body’
Ranjana said the family had been waiting only for Chauhan's body to be returned, but a second post-mortem conducted in India raised disturbing questions.
“We were just expecting the body to arrive. When we had a second post-mortem done here, the report revealed that not a single organ remained in the body,” she said.
"We lodged complaints everywhere, with the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi and other relevant authorities, but nothing came of it... I last spoke to him on 6 May... I think it was only two or three hours after he left for duty that my father-in-law received a call saying there had been an accident and that they were taking him to the hospital," she added.
FSUI's statement
The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) also alleged that no internal organs were found in Chauhan's body when the post-mortem was conducted in India.
According to the union, the brain, heart, both lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, intestines, thyroid, hyoid, larynx and trachea were all reportedly missing.
In a statement, the union said: "Shocking case -- Indian Seafarer Rakesh Chauhan reported dead in Venezuela. Mortal remains sent back to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh without any autopsy report or details from Venezuelan authorities. Family demanded re-autopsy. The official Post-Mortem Report conducted in India reveals a horrifying truth: NOT A SINGLE ORGAN was found in the body."
The FSUI urged the Indian Embassy in Venezuela and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene in the matter. It also alleged discrepancies in the documentation accompanying Chauhan's remains.
"The receipt for mortal remains was forged -- signed in the name of "Anjana Chauraisya" instead of "Ranjana Chaurasiya" (on behalf of his wife). The vessel name mentioned in the employment agreement does not match the vessel where he was actually posted," it said.
The union also alleged discrepancies in Chauhan's employment records, claiming that the vessel named in his employment agreement did not match the one on which he was deployed.
It said the inconsistencies raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding his death and urged the Indian Embassy in Venezuela and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene.
The union urged the Embassy of India in Venezuela and the Ministry of External Affairs to secure and release the complete autopsy report from the Venezuelan authorities, order a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Chauhan's death and the handling of his remains, and ensure justice, accountability and adequate compensation for his bereaved family.
(Inputs from ANI)
