Family members of P Sugunakar, a former Navy officer from Visakhapatnam, said they were shocked and distraught after a court in Qatar on Thursday sentenced him and seven other former Indian Navy personnel to death.
“We are all in distress, and are shattered and devastated by the news. His wife Vyjayanti, and his son and daughter are in shock and worried sick. They are living in fear. They do not know what to do. The worst part is, they don’t know what he has done,” said K Kalyan Chakravarty, Sugunakar’s brother-in-law.
The eight former Navy officers, all employees of Doha-based Dahra Global, were taken into custody last year. The charges against them have not been made public.
“The family is urging the Centre to take up the issue with Qatar and ensure his and others’ safe return,” Chakravarty said.
Before his arrest, Sugunakar would call his family daily, Chakravarty said, adding, “All of a sudden, we came to know he has been arrested, and since July 2022 – nearly 15 months now – there has been no contact with him. It is a living hell for his wife and two children not knowing anything about him.”
“We are trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek information on what is going on,” he said.
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Another former Navy officer and friend of Sugunakar’s said he is “well known and highly respected” among defence personnel in Visakhapatnam. Sugunakar “crossed the equator twice aboard the INS Tarangini sail ship”, the friend said.
The son of two teachers, Sugunakar joined the Navy soon after he turned 18, and worked in the Naval Engineering Corps, his family said. He earned his BTech (Mechanical) from the Naval College of Engineering, and also did an MSc in Defence and Strategic Studies from Defence Services College, Wellington. He retired in November 2013 and worked for Hindustan Shipyard Limited for a few months before joining Doha-based Al Dahra Global Technologies, according to his family.
In their effort to bring him home, the family also met BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao at Visakhapatnam on Friday. “I am in touch with the family and giving updates. I have also spoken with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and the Indian Ambassador to Qatar. The government of India will provide all the support to the family,” he said.
