In yet another disaster for the Indian Navy, Commander Kuntal Wadhwa lost his life on board a stationary ship due to a gas leak.

The incident occurred when Wadhwa and a few other workers of Mazagon Docks Ltd were onboard INS Kolkata.

The workers, who were injured, were treated for injuries and discharged, said a Mazagon Docks spokesperson.

Machinery trials A statement issued by Mazagon Docks said: “Yard-701 (a Kolkata class destroyer) being built by Mazagaon Docks Ltd, while undergoing machinery trials in Mumbai Port Trust had a malfunction in its carbon-dioxide unit, leading to gas leakage.”

Commander Rahul Sinha, Chief PRO, Defence, said: “The ship was under construction and was not carrying a Navy Flag. It was to be handed over to the Navy in a few weeks after trials.”

He added that it did not appear that there was any damage to the vessel.

The latest incident comes a day after Finance Minister P Chidambaram asked the Defence Ministry to use the funds allotted to it wisely. “If ₹2.25 lakh crore is allotted to defence, how is it spent? Should it be spent on maintenance, acquiring new equipment, training, raising a new battalion — these are questions decided by very senior officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force… I sincerely hope the Defence forces will learn a lesson and make sure that the money allocated to them is spent wisely and efficiently,” Chidambaram was quoted as saying.

Last month, two Naval officers were asphyxiated by the smoke caused by a fire in the battery compartment of a Russian-built submarine. Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi resigned as a consequence.

Television reports said the Navy has instituted a probe into the latest incident.

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