Why family of first Indian killed in West Asia war fought for over a month to bring his body home
FP Explainers • April 6, 2026, 16:28:09 IST

After an agonising wait for 35 days, Dixit Solanki’s family in India finally got his mortal remains. The 32-year-old seafarer was the first Indian casualty of the war in West Asia, who was killed in a suspected missile strike on a merchant vessel off the Oman coast last month. Back home, his family has decided not to conduct his last rites yet

A family’s 35-day wait for the mortal remains of an Indian seafarer killed in the war in West Asia has come to an end. The body of Dixit Solanki, a 32-year-old who died in a suspected missile strike on a merchant vessel off the Oman coast last month, reached Mumbai on Sunday (April 5).

And his family was there, waiting for their lost loved one to return home. However, the Solankis have decided not to go ahead with Dixit’s last rites until a DNA test confirms his identity.

Here’s the heartbreaking tale of the Solanki family’s struggle to bring back the remains of the young man — India’s first casualty in the war in West Asia.

Dixit Solanki killed in Iran war
Dixit Solanki was an oiler on the tanker MT MKD Vyom in the Arabian Sea, which came under attack during the early days of the Iran war.

He died on March 1 after an explosion and fire erupted on the vessel, believed to be triggered by a missile strike, about 70 nautical miles off Muscat, Oman.

A casualty report shared with Solanki’s family by the ship’s manager, V Ships India Pvt Ltd, stated that the oil tanker was carrying about 59,000 metric tonnes of gasoline. A blast occurred on the vessel’s starboard side above the waterline, resulting in a hull breach and a fire in the engine room, reported Indian Express.

At the time of the incident, Dixit was working in the engine room. He was initially reported missing but was later found near the hull breach. The ship’s master then declared him dead.

With this, Dixit became the first Indian casualty in the conflict in West Asia.

The 21 crew members onboard the vessel abandoned it following the explosion and were rescued by another tanker.

On March 3, the shipping company informed officials at the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) that the oil tanker had been abandoned and was being towed towards Khor Fakkan or Fujairah. It also said that the vessel was unmanned and was difficult to board due to safety concerns.

Solankis’ efforts to bring back their loved one
Amid a lack of information, Dixit’s sister Mitali Solanki, 33, flagged the matter to authorities on March 4. “We are still without concrete information regarding Dixit Solanki’s status, and this uncertainty is causing our family immense distress,” she wrote in an email.

In letters dated March 5 and 8 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the seafarer’s family said they were yet to receive his body, which continued to be onboard the ill-fated oil tanker at the time.

They urged the government to work together with international authorities and ensure that Dixit’s mortal remains are brought back at the earliest for conducting his final rites.

On March 18, the shipping company informed the family that Dixit’s body had been retrieved and was with forensic authorities. Later, through the Indian Consulate in Dubai, the family got to know that the skeletal remains were to be handed over to the Sharjah Police local authorities for formalities to obtain a death certificate.

As Dixit’s remains had still not come back, his family moved the Bombay High Court on April 2, seeking urgent intervention, as per the Indian Express report.

The petition by his father, Amratlal Gokal Solanki (64), and sister, Mitali, alleged a lack of clarity from authorities over the recovery of the seaman’s body. Citing Article 21 of the Constitution, which maintains the right to dignity extends even after death, they sought directions to expedite the repatriation of Dixit’s remains. They also asked for all investigation and forensic records to be shared with them.

The matter was scheduled to be heard on April 6 by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad.

“It has been 33 days. I want answers. What exactly happened to my son? I can’t imagine how he suffered, whether he was still alive, whether he was left there to die. All we want is his remains with valid certificates and an entire investigation report of the incident along with photo and video evidence,” Amratlal told Indian Express last week.

On April 2, the Consulate shared the death certificate with the family and sought a notarised authorisation letter. The family submitted the required document the next day.

Last week, Captain PC Meena, Deputy Director General of Shipping, ordered the shipping company to arrange the earliest possible flight to transport Dixit’s remains.

Finally, on Sunday (April 5), the family’s wait for their loved one was over. At 4:15 am, a heavy wooden crate carrying Dixit’s remains arrived at Mumbai International Airport’s cargo terminal.

As per an Indian Express report, the father and daughter waited outside the terminal for hours, completing paperwork, coordinating with officials by phone, and waiting for clearances.

Around 6.45 am, an official came to process additional documentation, only after which a pass was issued. As only one family member could go inside, Amratlal chose to go. “I want to see everything. How he is brought, what is being brought.”

The formalities took two more hours. After the father went inside the terminal, the family had to visit the Sahar police station to submit documents and then return to the terminal. Again, there was verification.

The coffin was finally handed over. As her father came from the cargo area, Mitali rushed toward the ambulance waiting outside to touch the box carrying her brother’s mortal remains.

After they checked the name and details written on the box and ensured the documentation matched, the ambulance took the body to the mortuary.

No last rites yet
Dixit’s family has refused to conduct the last rites until a DNA test confirms the identity of the remains.

They have approached the Directorate General of Shipping and the shipping company, with both promising support, reported Indian Express.

A senior official from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways told the newspaper that necessary arrangements were being planned for the test.

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The family has expressed doubts as they claim Amratlal was not allowed to speak directly to the rescued crew members of the vessel after they returned to Mumbai, or to record any conversation.

Dixit’s father had previously told NDTV, “There is a picture of Dixit in the house, but I haven’t put a garland on it yet. Until I see my son’s body with my own eyes, I will not believe he is gone. We haven’t been told clearly what happened. They say there was an attack, but why didn’t the ship’s siren go off? I have so many questions that haven’t been answered.”

The family was provided access to the shipping company’s internal investigation report only a day before the remains arrived. “From the photos in the report, the ship does not appear to be severely damaged,” Amratlal told the newspaper. “None of the crew who returned seem to have lost their belongings. But we have still not received my son’s personal items such as his trolley bag, his laptop, his phone, his hard drives. Nothing.”

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Reports say the family’s advocate is likely to ask the Bombay High Court to send the DNA samples to the Kalina forensic laboratory, arguing there is no conclusive proof to establish identity of the remains.

“We have waited for over 35 days. We can wait a few more days,” Mitali said. “We will only put him to rest once all our doubts are cleared. We do not want to live the rest of our lives with the question — what if these were not his remains?”