One month after 25-year-old seafarer Dixit Solanki was killed in a suspected drone boat attack off the coast of Oman, his grieving family has approached the Bombay High Court seeking the urgent repatriation of his mortal remains. The petition, which highlights a lack of transparency from authorities and the vessel’s management, is scheduled for a hearing on April 6.
Dixit Solanki lost his life on March 4 when an explosive-laden drone boat struck the oil tanker MT MKD Vyom amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. Solanki is reported to be the first Indian casualty of such an attack in the region.
The petition was filed by Solanki’s father, Amratlal Solanki, and his sister, Mitali Solanki, through advocates S B Talekar and Madhvi Ayyappan. The family has sought directions to the Union government to expedite the return of the sailor’s remains, citing a frustrating lack of clarity regarding the recovery process.
Beyond the repatriation of the remains, the family has requested that the authorities share all investigation and forensic records related to the incident.
The plea names several high-level respondents, including:
- The Ministry of External Affairs
- The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
- The Directorate General of Shipping
- V Ships India Pvt Ltd (the company managing the MT MKD Vyom)
A central argument in the petition is that the fundamental right to dignity, as guaranteed under the Constitution, extends to a person even after death. The family contends that the government and relevant authorities have a legal and moral duty to ensure a timely return of the deceased to his kin.
The petition further relies on international maritime regulations and guidelines, which mandate the proper handling and repatriation of seafarers in the event of death at sea.
It has been nearly 30 days since the fatal attack, yet the family remains in the dark. The petition claims that following the incident, the Solankis struggled to obtain clear answers despite sending numerous emails to the vessel’s management company.
According to the plea, the only correspondence received from the company stated that “efforts are underway” to recover and return the remains, offering little in the way of concrete timelines or progress reports.
The matter will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar this Saturday.
