Family of Indian seafarer killed in US strike demands compensation

The last rites of Shivanand Chaurasia, one of the three Indian seafarers killed in a US military strike on a commercial vessel off the coast of Oman, were performed on Thursday in his native village in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district.

Chaurasia, who worked as an engine fitter on a tanker operated by a foreign shipping company, was among the three Indian sailors killed when the US struck the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello on 10 June.

His body arrived at Delhi airport from Muscat early on Wednesday morning. It was later flown to Gorakhpur and transported by road to his native Surauli village, where it reached on Wednesday evening.

As the body arrived in the village, scenes of grief unfolded, with Chaurasia's parents, wife and brother breaking down. Local residents gathered in large numbers to pay their respects, while police personnel and administrative officials were deployed to manage the situation and assist the family.

The family demanded an ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore each from the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government, a government job for one dependent and "martyr status" for Chaurasia.

In protest, family members initially refused to perform the last rites and did not allow the body to be taken out of the ambulance for nearly three hours.

District Magistrate Madhusudan Hulgi met the family, received a memorandum outlining their demands and assured them that the matter would be taken up with the appropriate authorities, officials said.

Following discussions with the administration, the family agreed around 9.30 pm to allow the body to be taken for a second post-mortem examination.

On Thursday morning, the body was taken to the district hospital for the post-mortem and later brought back to the family residence in Surauli village.

After relatives, friends and villagers paid their final respects, the body was taken in a procession under tight security to Katailwa Ghat in Barhaj, where the last rites were performed.

Chaurasia was among 24 Indian crew members aboard the Settebello when it came under attack off the Oman coast. While 21 crew members were rescued, three Indians were killed in the strike.

The deaths triggered strong reactions in India, with the government lodging a protest with the United States and reiterating concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the region.