"Taken up matter with Venezuelan authorities; requested urgent investigation": MEA on alleged desecration of deceased sailor's body
New Delhi, July 3
India on Friday said that it has urgently requested Venezuelan authorities to look into the matter after a deceased Indian sailor's body was desecrated, according to the claims made by the family.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed the media on Friday.
While responding to media queries regarding a seafarer's body from Venezuela, where the family claimed that all the vital organs have been removed, Jaiswal said, "We have taken up the matter with Venezuelan authorities with a request to urgently investigate the matter. So, we'll keep you updated in that regard."
This comes as the Indian Embassy in Venezuela on Thursday (local time) sought a thorough investigation by the Venezuelan authorities into the alleged desecration and removal of organs from the mortal remains of Indian sailor Rakesh Chauhan.
In a statement, the Embassy of India in Caracas said it has been pursuing the matter with the local authorities since the incident came to light.
"The Embassy of India, Caracas has sought a thorough investigation by Venezuelan authorities on the desecration and removal of organs of the mortal remains of late Shri. Rakesh Chauhan. Mission has continued to pursue this matter with the concerned local authorities since the incident came to light," the embassy said.
The development comes after Chauhan's wife, Ranjana, alleged that her husband died under suspicious circumstances in Venezuela and claimed that his organs were removed before his body was sent back to India.
Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Ranjana alleged that the company employing her husband failed to provide any proper explanation regarding his death.
"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.
She further said that the family initially waited for the body to arrive in India and later decided to conduct a second post-mortem.
"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. 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.
The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) also raised the issue and claimed that the post-mortem conducted in India found no internal organs in Chauhan's body. According to the union, the brain, heart, both lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, intestines, thyroid, hyoid bone, larynx and trachea were all reportedly missing.
In a statement, the FSUI 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 Embassy of India in Venezuela and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene urgently.
The FSUI also alleged irregularities in the documentation related to the return of Chauhan's mortal 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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a serious case that requires international cooperation. The fact that the receipt was forged with the wrong name is deeply suspicious. India must demand a transparent investigation from Venezuela and also look into the shipping company's role. Justice for Rakesh Chauhan and his family.
Not a single organ found in the body after a second post-mortem? This sounds like an organ trafficking ring. The Indian government should treat this with utmost urgency and involve Interpol if needed. The poor family has been through enough already.
This is heartbreaking for the family 😢 Imagine the trauma of your loved one dying abroad, then finding out their body was violated like this. The company's behaviour is also unacceptable - dismissive attitude, forged documents? Something is very wrong here. I hope the MEA doesn't just give statements but actually takes concrete action.
While it's important to respect the diplomatic process, the MEA should also consider whether this is a wider issue with how Indian seafarers are treated abroad. We've seen cases before where workers faced exploitation. This needs a systemic review, not just a one-off investigation.
Yeh toh bahut hi dukhdaayi baat hai. A family who was already grieving, now they have to fight for basic dignity for their loved one. The MEA statement is a good first step but we need results, not just updates. Also, why did the company send body without proper autopsy? Suspicious. 🇮🇳
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