Black Sea attack: Merchant Navy officer's family refuses cremation, seeks martyr status
The family of a Merchant Navy officer killed in a Black Sea drone attack is refusing to perform his last rites. They are demanding martyr status, financial compensation, and a government job for his widow.
Why it matters
The case highlights the risks faced by civilian mariners in conflict zones and the growing public pressure on the government to provide military-equivalent benefits to non-combatants.
KANPUR: The family of Merchant Navy chief officer Sagar Gupta, who was killed in a drone attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, on Wednesday refused to perform his last rites after his mortal remains reached Kanpur.Eighteen days after his death, the family demanded that the government confer martyr status on him, provide Rs 2 crore as compensation and offer a government job to his widow.The 37-year-old seafarer's body was brought to his native home in Shastri Nagar, where emotional scenes unfolded as family members paid their respects.However, the family said the cremation would not take place until their demands were addressed.According to a local official, the body has been kept in a deep freezer while the family awaits a response from the government.Heart-rending scenes unfolded at the residence as Sagar's wife Shalu, mother Ramadevi and other relatives broke down on seeing the coffin.His…
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