A source close to the family of the Indian sailor killed in a US naval strike has handed over his last WhatsApp message. It reads: “I will come home safely.” Hours later, a US destroyer opened fire on his fishing trawler in the Gulf. No survivors. No warning. No accountability.
The sailor, identified as 32-year-old Rajesh Kumar from Kerala, sent the message to his wife at 6:14 PM local time on the day of the incident. It was the last communication from the vessel, which was reportedly carrying a crew of eight. The US Navy claims the trawler was “non-compliant” and posed a threat. But internal documents obtained by this journalist tell a different story.
A leaked US Navy report describes the trawler as “a small wooden fishing vessel, no radar, no weapons.” The report also notes that the ship’s crew “appeared intoxicated” during the approach. Yet the commander authorised the use of deadly force. The standard US Navy escalation procedure requires visual warning shots, radio hailings, and disabling fire. None of that happened. The first shot sank the ship.
The Indian government has called for a joint investigation, but the US has refused, citing national security. Meanwhile, the families of the deceased are left with nothing but a WhatsApp message. Kumar’s widow, Priya, told me: “He promised he’d come back. He always kept his promises.”
This is not an isolated incident. A pattern of US naval aggression in the Gulf has resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Indian fishermen since 2012. Each time, the US offers compensation. Each time, it refuses to hold its own accountable. The families are offered a few thousand dollars. The sailors are buried in unmarked graves.
I have obtained a copy of the US Navy’s internal after-action review from a similar incident in 2015. It concludes that “the use of lethal force was justified” – even though the review admits that the crew had no weapons and was simply fishing. The same review recommends “no changes to rules of engagement.” In other words, the US Navy is proud of its kill count.
What happened to Rajesh Kumar is not a tragedy. It is a crime. A crime committed with impunity, covered up by official lies. The US Navy destroys the evidence. The Indian government does not push hard enough. And the families are left with the bills.
Last night, I spoke with a retired Indian navy commodore who served as a liaison with the US Fifth Fleet. He told me he had raised concerns about this exact scenario multiple times. “They treat us like we’re expendable,” he said. “Our sailors are just red shirts to them.”
Rajesh Kumar’s final words are now a lonely monument to a system that values political alliances over human life. The question is: will anyone hold them accountable? Not if the suits in Washington and New Delhi have their way.
I will continue to follow the money and the bodies. And I will not stop until someone answers for this.
