A 26-year-old youth from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district is among the three Indian nationals currently detained by the US authorities after an oil tanker operating under the Russian flag was seized by the US Coast Guard in the North Atlantic earlier this week.
The incident has left his family in deep distress, with his father asserting that only high-level diplomatic intervention, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, can ensure his son’s release. Two other Indians among 28 crew members are from Goa and Kerala each.
The tanker, Marinera — earlier named Bella 1 — had been chartered by a private trader and was reportedly carrying crude oil linked to Venezuela. It was en route to Russia when it was intercepted on Wednesday by the US Coast Guard, reportedly in connection with sanctions-related violations.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Rikshit’s father Ranjit Singh Chauhan (58) said the family last heard from his son on January 7, just days before news of the seizure surfaced.
“My son called me on WhatsApp and told me that he would not be able to contact us for the next one to one-and-a-half months as the ship was heading towards a heavily snow-covered sea zone where communication signals usually remain suspended,” Chauhan said. “He specifically asked me not to worry if he did not call during that period. I took it lightly. However, two days later, I came to know through media reports that the ship on which my son was serving as a crew member had been seized and the crew detained,” he added.
Family members said they attempted to contact Rikshit several times after January 7, but his phone remained unreachable.
Chauhan, who works as a clerk in the revenue department at Palampur, said the family has since been living in constant anxiety, with no official communication from any government authority. “So far, no official — neither from the Indian government nor from the Russian side — has contacted us. We are completely in the dark,” he said, his voice choking with emotion.
Expressing grave concern, Chauhan said the matter requires intervention at the highest political and diplomatic level. “This is a serious international issue involving sanctions, maritime law and foreign governments. I firmly believe that my son can be released only if the matter is taken up at the level of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If the Prime Minister intervenes, there will be some assurance that my son will return safely,” he said.
Rikshit had joined the Merchant Navy in August last year, and this was his first assignment at sea, the family said. His elder brother, Dikshit, is a bank manager posted in Palampur, while his mother Reeta Devi is a homemaker. The family said they were proud of their son’s career choice, but the unfolding situation has replaced their joy with fear and uncertainty.
Deputy Commissioner Kangra, Hemraj Bairwa, said, “We are in the process of contacting the Indian embassy in Venezuela pertaining to our district resident Rikshit Chauhan. Our local administrative officials are in contact with his family members”.
The family also stated that Rikshit had earlier informed them that the crew included sailors from different Indian states, including Kerala, Goa and Himachal Pradesh, apart from foreign nationals from Ukraine, Georgia and Russia.
According to available information, the vessel had 28 crew members on board, including three Indians, 20 Ukrainians, six Georgians and two Russians. The ship was commanded by a Russian captain, while the second officer was Ukrainian. All crew members are currently under detention by US authorities, pending legal and diplomatic proceedings.
Following the incident, local MLA Ashish Butail contacted the family and assured them of all possible assistance. According to the family, the matter was also brought to the MLA’s notice by the local Panchayat Pradhan Sanjay Rathore. Sources said that Rikshit’s Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), passport and Aadhaar documents were forwarded to authorities through local administrative channels, including the Naib Tehsildar’s office and the clerical wing at Palampur, to facilitate official follow-up.
Butail has written to Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, requesting that the issue be urgently taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) so that diplomatic efforts can be intensified for the early release and safe return of the detained Indian nationals.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
