Patna: The mortal remains of a marine engineer from Bihar who was killed in an attack on a merchant vessel in the Middle East have arrived in Patna, 20 days after the incident, with his family now transporting the body to his ancestral village for last rites.
Deonandan Prasad Singh, a chief engineer from Bhagalpur district, died on March 11 after the ship he was serving on came under attack amid heightened tensions in the region involving Israel, Iran and the United States. His body reached Patna on Wednesday, prompting an emotional and sombre gathering of relatives who had been awaiting its return for weeks.
From Patna, the remains were taken by ambulance to Rani Bamiya village in the Sanhaula block of Bhagalpur district, where funeral preparations are underway.
According to reports, the vessel—an oil tanker identified as Safesea Vishnu—was travelling through Iraqi territorial waters when it was targeted in what sources described as a drone strike. Singh, who was serving as chief engineer on board, sustained critical injuries in the attack and later died.
The circumstances of the incident have not been independently verified, and details of responsibility for the attack remain unclear.
Singh had worked in the maritime sector for several years and moved to Mumbai in 2019, where he lived with his family. He was regarded as the primary provider for the household.
Family members said they had endured a prolonged wait for the return of his remains, travelling to Delhi in recent weeks to seek assistance from authorities to expedite the process. The delay of nearly three weeks added to their distress as they attempted to complete formalities across multiple jurisdictions.
In his native village, Singh was remembered as a diligent and soft-spoken professional who had built a stable career at sea. Residents described him as someone who had brought pride to the local community through his work abroad.
For the past 20 days, villagers and relatives had been waiting for closure, holding on to fragmented updates about the repatriation process. As the ambulance finally made its way towards Bhagalpur, the atmosphere shifted from anticipation to grief.
His final rites are expected to be performed in Rani Bamiya once the family completes traditional ceremonies.
