The death of an Indian merchant navy sailor in Venezuela has triggered serious concerns after a second post-mortem examination in India reportedly revealed that several major internal organs were missing from his body.
According to reports, 33-year-old Rakesh Chauhan, a resident of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, had travelled to Venezuela in late 2025 to work aboard a merchant vessel. In May 2026, his family was informed by the shipping company that he had died, with the initial cause of death stated as cardiac arrest.
After the body was returned to India nearly a month later, family members requested a fresh post-mortem because they were not satisfied with the explanation provided. Doctors conducting the examination reportedly found that several vital organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, liver and other internal organs, were absent, making it difficult to determine the actual cause of death.
The family has alleged inconsistencies in the information provided by the company. They claim that different explanations regarding the sailor's condition and death were given at different times before the official statement mentioned cardiac arrest.
The incident has prompted demands for a thorough investigation. Representatives of seafarers' organizations have called upon the Indian authorities and the Indian Embassy in Venezuela to work with local officials to establish the facts surrounding the death and determine why the organs were missing.
Medical experts note that while certain tissue samples or organs may sometimes be removed during a forensic post-mortem for laboratory analysis, complete removal of multiple internal organs without proper documentation raises serious questions that require official clarification.
Authorities are expected to investigate the matter further, while the family continues to seek answers and justice.
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