Ranjana, the wife of Indian seafarer Rakesh Chauhan who died in Venezuela, has alleged that he was murdered and his organs were removed before his body was returned to India. She stated that company representatives were dismissive and failed to provide a proper report.
Allegations of Murder and Organ Theft
In an interview with ANI, Ranjana said, "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 added that when the body arrived in India, a second post-mortem revealed that not a single organ remained. "We lodged complaints everywhere, with the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi and other relevant authorities, but nothing came of it... I last spoke to him on 6 May... I think it was only two or three hours after he left for duty that my father-in-law received a call saying there had been an accident and that they were taking him to the hospital," she said.
FSIU Confirms Missing Organs
The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) also confirmed that no organs were found in Rakesh Chauhan's body. According to FSUI, the brain, heart, both lungs, kidney, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, intestines, thyroid, hyoid, larynx, and trachea were all missing. The union tweeted, "SHOCKING CASE -- Indian Seafarer Rakesh Chauhan reported dead in Venezuela. Mortal remains sent back to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh without any autopsy report or details from Venezuelan authorities. Family demanded re-autopsy. The official Post-Mortem Report conducted in India reveals a horrifying truth: NOT A SINGLE ORGAN was found in the body."
Forged Receipt and Vessel Irregularities
The FSUI also alleged that the receipt for mortal remains was forged, signed in the name of "Anjana Chauraisya" instead of "Ranjana Chaurasiya" (on behalf of his wife). Additionally, the vessel name mentioned in the employment agreement did not match the vessel where he was actually posted. The union urged the Embassy of India in Venezuela and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene urgently.
The family continues to demand the full autopsy report and clarification on the irregularities. The case has raised serious questions about the handling of Indian seafarers' deaths abroad and the safety of maritime workers.
