Family of dead mariner youth demand justice

New Delhi, May 20: The parents of Pradeep Sharma, 20, Tuesday protested outside the south district police head office here, demanding to know what happened to their son who was sent to Iran on the promise of a Merchant

job.

Pradeep Sharma's father Haridutt Sharma said his son was sent to Iran in place of Dubai as promised by Delhi-based IPSR Institute that had taken Rs.8 lakh for the Merchant Navy job.

Pradeep Sharma left for Dubai Oct 7, 2013, but was asked to go to Iran by the institute, a placement agency in the capital.

But when Haridutt Sharma called his son May 10, he was told that his son was in a hospital in Iran. Three days later when he approached institute officials, he was told that his son was no more.

"Since then his mobile phone is off. Institute officials are not telling us where my son is," Haridutt Sharma said.

The hapless parents were told their son died after a prolonged illness while working in Iran as a labourer, something the family cannot come to terms with.

"My brother is a son of the country and we have no information about him. Nobody is telling us where he is... He is alive or dead. I want my brother back. If he is dead... at least his body should be given to us," Kiran, the elder sister of Pradeep Sharma, told IANS.

Pradeep Sharma's family and relatives are demanding a case be lodged against the institute. They also suspect that he was targeted by human traffickers.

"I heard his voice on phone April 10, 2014. He has been telling us that he was not happy there. We asked him to come back as soon as possible but they (his employers) were not allowing him to come back to India," his mother Radha said, weeping inconsolably.

Pradeep Sharma had pursued his Merchant Navy course studies in Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Police said they have started an investigation after the family's complaint and had questioned the institute officials.

IANS