'Where Is My Son?': Parents Of Missing Navy Sailor Seek CBI Probe, Demand PM Modi's Intervention

The parents of Indian Navy sailor Sahil Verma, who has been missing for a week, demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention and a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to his “mysterious disappearance” at sea from a naval ship.

Verma, a seaman in the Indian Navy, went missing from a naval ship — where he was deployed — on February 27. Soon after, the naval authorities launched a massive search operation to trace and find him.

The sailor’s parents Subash Chander and Rama Kumari — who live in Jammu’s Ghou Manhasan area — sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to ensure that their son returns home safely.

“It is astonishing that a soldier went missing from his naval ship and is not traceable. I have been told that the CCTV cameras installed on the ship did not find anyone falling into the sea. Then where is my son?” Chander told news agency PTI.

Verma’s relatives and well wisher have continuously been visiting their home to extend their support and pray for the sailor’s return.

Earlier, the Western Naval Command — headquartered in Mumbai — termed the seaman’s disappearance as “unfortunate”, adding that a high-level board of inquiry has been ordered.

In a post on X, the Western Naval Command said, “In an unfortunate incident, Sahil Verma, Seaman II, has been reported missing at sea from (an) Indian Naval Ship whilst on deployment since February 27, 2024. The Navy immediately launched a massive search operation with ships and aircraft, which is still continuing.”

Verma’s father also resented the information he received about his son’s disappearance saying, “We got a call on February 29 informing that our son went missing on board the ship two days before that… we last talked to him on Sunday (February 25) and nothing is known what happened to him.”

Chander said all that they want is to get justice and know where their son is. “We want the government to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough probe. He was on duty and is missing,” he added.

Meanwhile, the seaman’s mother suspected something fishy about her son’s disappearance. “There were 400 people on board the ship and only my son went missing,” she said, adding that “My prayers and demands are only that my son returns safe and sound.”

Another relative, Verma’s maternal uncle, said that his disappearance is a case fit for a CBI probe because they “heard that the ship returned to base a day before leaving again.”

“How is it possible that he went missing from the ship,” asked Gautam, the maternal uncle.

He said that the family — which was informed 2 days after the incident — should have been informed about Sahil’s disappearance within 24 hours, adding that a board of inquiry should also have been ordered then itself.

(With PTI inputs)