Navy Personnel from Jammu Goes Missing Onboard; Family Seeks Justice

Jammu: A 19-year-old Navy personnel, Sahil Verma, has gone missing from an Indian Navy ship. The Indian Navy informed his family in Jammu about his disappearance on Thursday. 

Verma, who joined the Indian Navy in 2022, was last seen aboard the ship on Sunday. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear, leaving his family and the Navy searching for answers and hoping for his safe return. Indian Navy has ordered a Naval Board of Inquiry for a detailed investigation.

Subash Chander, father of Sahil Verma, said we got to know on February 29th when we got a call from the Ship Captain that my son had gone missing. “They told me that we would be informed regarding his whereabouts. They told me that a search operation is underway as he hasn’t been captured in any of the cameras, jumping out of the ship,” he added.

In shock over this incident, his mother Rama Kumari said, “I just want my Shalu (nickname of Sahil) back. He was a bright student and always disciplined. We aren’t aware of what has happened to him. They should find where he has gone,” she said.

Sahil's brother Shivam told Republic that he had gone missing on the 27th, two days after the ship left from Kochi and has been speaking to Indian Navy authorities since then to find the whereabouts of his brother.

Indian Navy in a statement said, “In an unfortunate incident, Sahil Verma, Seaman II, has been reported missing at sea from Indian Naval Ship whilst on deployment since 27 Feb 24. The Navy immediately launched a massive search operation with ships and aircraft, which is continuing. Naval Board of Inquiry has been ordered for detailed investigations”.