Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: The disappearance of Sarthak Mohapatra, an Odia sailor aboard the ship 'New Jersey,' has taken a troubling turn with new allegations of mistreatment by the crew. Family members claim that Sarthak endured severe torture during his time on the ship, including being denied food for an extended period, with meals only being sent to his cabin.

The family, which has been desperately seeking answers about Sarthak’s whereabouts, has accused the shipping company, 'Angela Eastern,' of not cooperating. Santosh Kumar Sahoo, Sarthak’s uncle, said that although there is a shipping office in West Bengal, an official named S. Dasgupta from Singapore visited them but initially refused to assist with their inquiries. The family was only allowed to board the ship for two hours, during which they could only access Sarthak's cabin.

CCTV footage shows that Sarthak was last seen heading towards a deck area aboard the ship on the day of his disappearance. Afterward, he went missing. When the family tried to reach the deck area, they were reportedly blocked and threatened by the ship’s officials, who warned them that they would be thrown off the ship if they continued their attempts.

Sarthak's mother, Rashmita, has also accused the ship’s crew of ignoring her requests for help. She claims that her son was subjected to extreme harassment and deprived of food and water for more than 15 days. She believes that something serious happened to him during this period. Rashmita has filed a formal complaint with the Indian High Commission in Singapore, requesting their assistance in bringing her son back.

The High Commission has assured the family that the case will be thoroughly investigated, and they will take all necessary steps to ensure Sarthak’s safe return. Further investigations are expected to provide more clarity on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and the alleged mistreatment by the crew.