Mumbai: Commander Kuntal Wadhwa, the Indian Navy officer who died after inhaling carbon dioxide during tests onboard the under-construction warship INS Kolkata, was on Saturday cremated with full military honours here. Wadhwa (42) died before he could be taken to the hospital after inhaling carbon dioxide that had leaked from a malfunctioning unit on the Kolkata Class `Yard-701` warship, at the Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) facility here.
Two employees of the shipyard were also affected in the incident and had to be taken to hospital. They are to be discharged later. Navy sources said that the wreath-laying ceremony was held at around 2:30 P.M. on Saturday. The ceremony was attended by Western Naval Chief Shekar Sinha and other flag officers. At 3 P.M. Navy flags were flown at half mast.
The cremation took place at around 5 P.M. At Chandanwadi crematorium in central Mumbai. Wadhwa`s family members, including his in-laws, had reached the city last night.
A Board of Inquiry has been constituted to probe the incident.