Deceased sailor’s mother seeks justice from Manohar Parrikar
Eighty-year-old Anuradha A. Paldhe from Dombivali, whose son died a mysterious death 23 years ago while working in the Indian Navy, has pleaded with defence minister Manohar Parrikar for justice. “I trust the new defence minister and believe I will now get justice,” she told media persons in Mumbai on Monday evening.
Ms Paldhe cited a recent Hyderabad high court direction to the navy to constitute a fresh board of inquiry within six months and communicate its findings to her regarding her son, seaman-I (clearance diver) Amar A. Paldhe’s death during helo-jumping at Kakinada in September 1993. “I am not asking for any favours, but only that a proper board of inquiry be constituted to find the truth in the interest of justice,” she said. She told The Asian Age she was getting threat calls ever since she started fighting for justice for her son. Sources said that she was getting threat calls from a Pakistan-based number.
On September 21, 1993, Amar’s family was told that he had gone “missing” while participating in a peace-time exercise at Kakinada. The following day, his body was found by fishermen along the Kakinada coast. The navy extended normal courtesies to the bereaved family but did not disclose the real cause of Amar’s death, according to Ms Paldhe. Later, the family learnt about two serious ante-mortem injuries on Amar’s body and tried to find the reason but failed. Ms Paldhe’s lawyer, Advocate Sunil Ganu, said that the family wrote 24 letters to the navy in two years and even met Sharad Pawar in 1996, who told them to meet then admiral, Bhagwat.