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Indian sailor killed in US attack had father who called for Gaza's ethnic cleansing

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • An Indian man's son died in a U.S. attack on a Palau-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • The father, Rajesh Sharma, had previously posted Islamophobic remarks and called for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.
  • India summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to demand an explanation for the attack, which killed three Indian sailors.

The death of an Indian sailor in a U.S. naval attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz has taken a grim turn with the revelation of the sailor's father's extremist views. Aditya Sharma was among three Indian crew members killed when a missile struck the Palau-flagged MT Settebello off the coast of Oman.

With regret we inform you that one of our ships MT Settebello was attacked by a missile by the US Navy.

โ€” Shipping companyThe shipping company informed Rajesh Sharma about the attack on his son's vessel.

Rajesh Sharma, the sailor's father, had sought help on social media to find his son after the attack. However, online responders discovered his past digital footprint, which included calls for the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Gaza and other Islamophobic statements. Sharma had posted on October 11, 2023, just days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, that Israel should "ethically cleanse the entire Gaza and make it a non-Muslim territory." He also wrote in 2024, "By the end of the 21st century, every Muslim in this world will be eliminated or will convert to a peaceful religion."

I think Israel now has to ethically cleanse the entire Gaza and make it a non-Muslim territory. This is the only solution to maintain peace there. Kudos to Mosad and @IDF.

โ€” Rajesh SharmaSharma's Islamophobic post on October 11, 2023, calling for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.

The Indian government summoned a senior U.S. diplomat in New Delhi to demand an explanation for the attack. The incident is part of a broader escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen increased tensions and naval actions following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory measures by Iran.

By the end of the 21st century, every Muslim in this world will be eliminated or will convert to a peaceful religion.

โ€” Rajesh SharmaAnother Islamophobic statement posted by Sharma in 2024.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.