Mumbai/ New Delhi: A 23-year-old sailor of the Indian Navy allegedly committed suicide on board a frontline warship on Saturday night even as his family suspected foul play behind the incident.
Melvin Raj, hailing from Tamil Nadu, was found with a gunshot wound on his head on board INS Talwar anchored at dry dock here. He was rushed to INS Ashwini naval hospital but was declared dead on arrival, police said.
Melvin`s family, however, alleged foul play behind the incident and claimed that the victim was being harassed by his seniors since several months.
His family also alleged that the sailor had complained about not being granted leave.
The naval authorities have ordered an enquiry into the incident.
"A Board of Enquiry has been ordered into the family`s allegations. Once we receive the report, further course of action will be decided," Ministry of Defence PRO Narendra Vispute said.
In the recent past, there have been instances in the defence forces where cancellation of leave has been cited as the reason for suicides.
In June last year, soldiers and officers in an Army unit in Samba (Jammu and Kashmir) were engaged in a face-off after the suicide by a jawan there.
PTI
