India has asked Venezuelan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into allegations that the mortal remains of an Indian seafarer were desecrated before being sent back home, after his family claimed a second post-mortem in India found several internal organs missing.
The Embassy of India in Caracas said it has been pursuing the matter with local authorities since the allegations surfaced. The development follows demands from the deceased sailor’s family and the Federation of Seafarers’ Unions of India (FSUI) for a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and the handling of his body.
In a statement posted on X, the embassy said it had sought “a thorough investigation by Venezuelan authorities on the desecration and removal of organs of the mortal remains of late Shri. Rakesh Chauhan.”
“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,” it said.
Family alleges missing organs after second post-mortem
Rakesh Chauhan’s wife, Ranjana, alleged that her husband died under suspicious circumstances while working aboard a ship in Venezuela and that the company employing him failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
“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 told ANI.
She said the family decided to conduct a second post-mortem after the body reached India.
“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,” she said.
Ranjana also recalled that she last spoke to her husband on May 6. She said the family received information about an accident only a few hours after he had left for duty.
Seafarers’ union raises concerns over documentation
The FSUI claimed the post-mortem conducted in India found that multiple internal organs were absent from Chauhan’s body. According to the union, these included the brain, kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, thyroid, stomach, intestines, spleen, pancreas, hyoid bone, larynx and trachea.
In its statement, the union alleged that Chauhan’s body was returned to India without an autopsy report or official details from Venezuelan authorities.
The FSUI also claimed there were discrepancies in the paperwork related to the repatriation of the body. It alleged that the receipt for the mortal remains carried an incorrect name and that the vessel named in Chauhan’s employment agreement did not match the ship on which he was reportedly serving.
The union has urged the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Caracas to ensure a comprehensive investigation into the case.